I'll Be There For You
by BluEyes
Summary: A la Bon Jovi, not The Rembrandts. Missing scenes to fill in the gaps between the toe-cutting incident of Thanksgiving 1988 to a wedding-dress clad Rachel walking through the doors of Central Perk in 1994. Mondler-centric, but will include all characters
1. Thanksgiving 1988

I'll Be There For You

_Ok ay, so I'm gonna try something. And see if it works. Because there is obviously a lot that happened between Thanksgiving of 1988 (when Monica cut off Chandler's toe) and fall of 1994 when the series started in order for them all to be friends. And I want to fill in some of those things!_

_However, a lot of the flashbacks from the show contradict each other, and the whole timeline of the show makes no sense. I'm going with the guys being in college from 1987-1991 (since they are freshmen fall 1987), but that means that Ross is amazing and got his PhD in 3 years in order to be working by the time the series starts. Good job, Ross! However, this screws with their ages in the show. Somehow, Monica is 26 in season 1, but Rachel turns 30 in season 7. I'm going with them graduating from high school spring 1988, because that's when they were seniors in the flashbacks. I'm keeping with their age from then. Phoebe and Joey will show up eventually, but I feel like since they don't have as much of a back-story with the group until after college, their ages don't matter, haha. And, also, I don't know that it was ever mentioned if Monica actually went to college, or some culinary school, or what, so…I'm doing my own thing with that one. Correct me if I'm wrong._

_Anyway, I don't own any characters, or any events mentioned in the show that I toy with in this. And forgive me if college worked differently 15-20 years ago…I'm in college now, and that's the only college life I know :) Oh, and the title is from the Bon Jovi song, not the theme song for the show :)_

_Oh, and, of course, I will PROBABLY be focusing on Mondler. Ha, probably...Ok, yea, I __**will**__ be focusing on Mondler :) here we go…_

_._._Thanksgiving 1988_._._

Monica sat at the top of the stairs, playing with the bottom hem of her oversized t-shirt. It was one that she had yet to throw away from the past year, and with the shorts she was wearing, it looked more like a dress. From her current position, she could see Chandler lying on the couch, obviously not asleep, since he kept fidgeting and moving positions. As much as she still wanted to be mad at him for calling her fat the year before, she felt that she more than got him back by cutting off one of his limbs. Thinking of that, the toe she found in the kitchen upon their return from the hospital, she shuddered. She had cut off the guy's toe! She not only insulted or embarrassed him, she permanently disfigured him!

More than anything, she wanted to go apologize. Their parents had insisted he and Ross stay after returning from the hospital, and Judy even tried to offer him Monica's room to stay in, saying Monica could sleep on the couch. Chandler declined, saying the couch was fine, and he didn't want to steal Monica's room. Monica smiled at this; maybe he wasn't a _complete_ asshole. At least no more so than other guys their age.

Hearing the sound of the TV turning on, Monica literally jumped, causing the stairs beneath her feet to creak. At the sudden sound, Chandler moved to the edge of the couch, looking up at her. "Hi," he laughed, seeing the deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.

"Um, hi," Monica repeated back, offering nothing else. She wasn't very good at talking to boys. After losing a lot of weight in a year, she had yet to really start going on dates with guys, and still had no idea how to talk to them. Especially ones who called her fat, and then she cut their toe off in retaliation.

"You…wanna join me?" Chandler motioned to the TV, trying to speak just loud enough that she could hear him, but not loud enough so that they would wake anyone else. When she didn't move, he shrugged. "Or just sit up there and watch me…"

"S-sorry," Monica stumbled over her words, making her way down to the living room. "I just feel really, **really** bad about, ya know, cutting your toe off and all," she stood at the edge of the room, still close to the stairs, nervously scuffing her foot along the ground.

"It was an accident," Chandler sighed. "I've had worse Thanksgivings, believe me," he added, trying to get her to look up at him.

Monica scoffed. "Worse than losing an extremity?"

"Definitely worse than losing an extremity," he nodded, and she moved closer to the couch. "My parents kinda, um, announced their divorce on Thanksgiving when I was nine," he mumbled, staring at the television screen.

"Oh my god, that's horrible!" Monica finally took a seat next to him.

"You're telling me!" he scoffed, turning to look at her. "And that's not even the worst part! Oh, no. The worst part about it is that it's also when my parents decide to tell me that my father is gay, **and** sleeping with the houseboy," he finished, and Monica tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle a giggle. "Is that..funny?"

"No," Monica laughed again. "It's just…um, tact **might** be lost on your parents."

"You're telling me," he nodded in agreement, leaning back against the couch next to her.

"So, that's why you hate Thanksgiving," she deducted, out loud, and Chandler again nodded. "Did you eat dinner, by the way? We all ate the cold leftovers when we got home, but…"

"Yea, ya kinda left me hanging with the mac 'n cheese," he looked at her in feign anger, but she took it to mean he was really upset.

"Oh my god, so you just didn't eat! I'm sorry, Chandler!" she hopped up. "I'll go make some right now!" she moved to go to the kitchen, but he caught her arm in his hand as she walked by.

"I was kidding, Monica," he offered, softly, pulling her back to the couch, and she blushed slightly. "Your mom made me a sandwich."

"Oh," Monica suddenly felt very stupid. Of course he was kidding. She had been too embarrassed the whole rest of the night to pay much attention to what was going on, and had simply failed to notice that he ate.

"You can make me breakfast to make up for it?" he offered as she sat next to him once again. "As long as there are no knives involved," he elbowed her, and she smiled, finally starting to feel a bit at ease. Feeling a bit more relaxed, she settled back into the couch, her arm brushing his. He froze for a moment before casually adjusting, so that he was now closer to her, their legs now touching. "So, Ross said you're going to some chef school or something this year? That's close to NYU?"

"Yea, I am," Monica's eyes lit up, and Chandler couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "The Institute of Culinary Education. It's great. I know I've only been there a couple of months but it's great," she emphasized, grinning. "I get to actually cook stuff, with real chefs, and I'll be done with two diploma programs in two years," she added, very pleased with herself. "That's sooner than Ross will finish his degree," she finished, and from the little interaction Chandler had with the Gellers, he deducted the last part was aimed at pleasing her mom, who seemed to favor Ross. "So, what's your major? What do you want to be when you grow up?" Monica moved so she was sitting cross-legged, facing Chandler.

Chandler laughed out loud. "Now, there's a question…"

"You don't have a major yet?"

"No, I do, I just…I don't know what I _really_ want to do, ya know?"

"Well, what's your major?" Monica asked again, and Chandler laughed at her persistence.

"English. I like writing," he admitted. "I guess I take after my mom in that way."

"Your mom's a writer?"

"Yea," he looked down, embarrassed. "Nora Bing," he finally mumbled.

"Your mom's Nora Bing!" Monica exclaimed, but then settled down. "I mean, I think Rachel might have read a book by her or something," she picked at a stray thread from the blanket draped over the couch.

Chandler laughed, placing a hand on her bare leg. "Not judging," he shook his head. "As long as you don't judge me for being her son." Monica shook her head in return, staring at his hand, still on her leg. "Good."

"So, you want to be a writer?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know," he shrugged, hating the question. "My dad keeps telling me to take some sensible classes, like business classes or something. How boring, though," he wrinkled his nose.

"Wants you to follow in his footsteps?" Monica asked, and Chandler again laughed.

"Ha, right. My father," he stopped short, looking at Monica for a second. "Why am I telling you all of this?" Monica's face suddenly fell, and she moved to get up. "No, no, no," he again reached out to her, standing up as she did. "Ow, fuck, ow," he fell back, gripping his leg, having put pressure on his foot.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry," Monica sat next to him for a second, but then jumped back up. "Ice, you need ice," she explained, heading for the kitchen. "God, I just keep hurting you," she returned, sitting next to him, kicking an ottoman in front of the couch so he could put his foot up.

"It's ok," he winced at the coldness of the icepack.

"You don't…you don't have to keep talking to me," Monica finally whispered. "If you don't want to. I can go up to bed."

"No! No, I like talking to you," he smiled at her. "You're-you're really sweet," he added quieter, and noticed that, though she was still staring straight ahead instead of at him, she was smiling. And was slightly blushing.

"I like talking to you, too," she finally admitted, before clearing her throat. "So, what does your dad do that you definitely don't want to follow in his shoes doing?"

Chandler again laughed out loud, and was glad that the awkwardness was again gone. Monica leaned back against the couch, now against his shoulder. "Well, he, um, he…headlinesagayburlesqushowinvegas," he said quickly, and Monica laughed.

"What?"

"He," Chandler sighed, "he headlines a gay burlesque show in Vegas," he whispered, and Monica burst out laughing.

"And you don't want to do that why?" she asked, and he pushed her playfully, laughing as well.

"Yea, well, you've known me for, like, 20 minutes, and already know more about me than Ross, who has lived with me for over a year. Good job," he grinned as Monica leaned back against him. "So, if you go to school really close to NYU, why don't you ever stop and see Ross or anything?"

He felt Monica shrug against him. "I don't know. We just argue a lot. Sibling stuff, ya know?"

"No, I'm an only child."

"Oh. Well…sibling stuff," she again shrugged. "I think we're getting better, though. We get along better than we used to," she laughed. "I used to beat Ross up," she explained, and Chandler laughed as well.

"Well, if you do decide to stop by sometime, or something, you should," Chandler offered. He replayed the rambling offer in his head, and suddenly felt like an idiot.

"I just might do that," Monica nodded, smiling at him. He felt a little less like an idiot. "I, um, I should probably get to bed, though. Let you sleep. And heal," she made a sympathetic face towards his foot. "Sorry again."

"Don't worry about it," he returned her smile. "Goodnight, Monica," he touched her arm again as she stood up, causing her to turn and grin.

"Goodnight, Chandler," she whispered in return, heading towards the stairs, very aware that his eyes were still on her until she was out of sight.

Chandler settled back onto the couch, again trying to get comfortable. Maybe not every part of Thanksgiving was so bad…

To be continued…

_._._

_So…should I continue? I need some opinions! I plan on doing a bunch of kinda random moments from here, up until the first episode. So, just need to know what you guys think of the idea, and the fic so far. So, review, and let me know!_

_And…summer is so close, I can taste! Only two finals to go, and then a month off, a woo-hoo!_


	2. Spring 1989

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 2

_Funny story. I turn on the tv after writing the last part, and, of course, Friends is on, because when isn't Friends on? And, it's TOW they're going to party, and Monica mentions going to cooking school. So, I answered my own question about that :) Just thought I'd throw that out there…_

_I'm still trying to decide if I want the background of having Chandler and Rachel making out. Can't decide how I feel on that one. Don't particularly like it, but I might use it. We'll see what happens._

_Anyway I wanted to update this to prove that I am, in fact, continuing it. I'm trying to map out the whole rest of it, though, so that I have a definite timeline of my own done before I post anything else. I'll try to work quickly; I have it mostly mapped out in my head already :)_

_Oh, and thanks for the reviews! Man, what would I do without you guys??_

_._._Spring 1989_._._

Chandler sat in his dorm room, attempting to write a paper due on Monday so he wouldn't have to worry about it over the weekend. He drummed his pen on his desk, watching out the window as people below walked by. It looked nice out. Of course it was nice out, he thought. It was spring. A couple getting a little too friendly caught his eye momentarily, and he laughed out loud at them, the guy sliding his hand up the girl's miniskirt as they made out in the middle of a crowded sidewalk.

Pulling himself away from the window, he then turned up the volume on their boom box, attempting to drown out Ross's air purifier. Maybe that was why he was distracted. Damn air purifier. He sat back down, again staring at a blank page.

Nope, not the problem.

Leaning his chair back on its back two legs as he stretched, he nearly fell over. Catching himself on his bed, he was suddenly thankful the room was so small. Composing himself, he then began to tap his pen in time with the song on the radio, humming along. He then grabbed another pen, drumming on his desk along with the song, eventually singing along, at first under his breath, but picking up in volume at the chorus.

"But, I'll be there for you; these five words I swear to you! When you breathe, I want to be the air for you. I'll be there for you!" He started to get more into the song, now using one of the pens as a microphone. The squeak of their cracked door opening the rest of the way went completely unnoticed. "I'd live and I'd die for you. Steal the sun from the sky to you!" He again leaned back in his chair, this time, actually falling over at the sight of Monica, surprised to have an audience. "M-Monica, hi," he stood up, picking his chair up as well. His elbow hurt from where it hit the floor, but his ego sustained much more damage. Monica stood by the door, arms crossed, looking very amused. "I-I was just writing a paper," he motioned to his desk, feeling his face and ears burning.

Monica laughed out loud, both at what she had walked in on, and his obvious embarrassment. "Well don't quit on my account," she smiled in amusement, dropping her backpack and sitting down on his bed behind him.

"So, what're you doing here?" He turned the radio down, still bright red. In the past few months, it had become a regular occurrence for Monica to visit, so it wasn't that he was surprised to see her, he was just…surprised she had witnessed what was sure to be his most embarrassing moment of the semester.

"Looking for Ross, I guess. Or you. Whatever," she sighed.

"Glad to know I'm at the top of that list," he smirked, but knew the opposite was true. At first, after Thanksgiving, she had started stopping by once a week or so, sometimes catching him, sometimes Ross. After a few weeks, though, she must have figured out their class schedules, because she usually came when he was there, regardless of Ross's presence.

"No, it's not that," she sighed again. "Rachel just totally blew me off-**again**!" she hit the bed in frustration. "For another stupid guy, too! Or a sorority thing. Or both, maybe," she sighed again, and Chandler moved over to the bed, beside her.

"Sorry, Mon," he offered.

"You're not the one blowing me off," she stated. "It's just…I think she liked it better when I was her fat friend. I could be sort of her wingman. Now I'm just…I dunno. Another girl to compete with for guys or something," she made a face, not really understanding her friend's current behaviors.

"That sucks, Mon," Chandler fiddled with the pen in his hands, not completely sure what to say. "But I can see why she wouldn't want you as competition," he added softly, looking at the ground.

Monica smiled. "Well, I do feel a little better now."

"Every once in a while I say something right," Chandler shrugged.

"No, I was talking about your little song earlier. **Definitely** cheered me up," she laughed, and he pushed her playfully, trying to force her off his bed. Monica laughed harder, but caught her weight and stayed in place.

"Well, Ross is in class right now, but you can hang out with me for awhile. If you don't mind me spontaneously breaking into song," he nudged her, and she again laughed.

"I might take you up on that. Maybe get some homework done while you 'work on your paper,'" she made air quotes before grabbing her backpack with a grin.

"What kind of homework do you have for cooking school?" Chandler made a face. "Like, practicing stuff?"

"Among other things," she nodded.

"Wanna practice stuff on me?" he asked. "I mean that in the least dirty way possible, by the way," he added quickly off her amused look.

Monica laughed. "Yea, sure. I actually have a couple of dishes I wanted to practice for next week. Ya know, get a head start," she added with a grin.

"So studious…"

Monica beamed. She was very studious. She had to be, though, in order to be the best. And she was the best. "Yep! Anyway, I was going to make at least one of them tomorrow, if you want to come over."

"Eh, I really don't think your parents like me very much," he shifted uncomfortably. "There's, um, a kitchen downstairs, in the commons," he offered, and was surprised when she actually nodded in response.

"Have plans tonight?" she asked, and he shook his head. Like he would have already made plans on a Friday night. If anything, he would attempt to tear Ross away from Carol to go find a party. Somehow, dinner with Monica seemed a bit more promising. "How does Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brocolli Rabe sound?" she read from the sheet in front of her, and Chandler shrugged.

"What the hell is that?"

"You'll like it," she promised. Jumping up, she grabbed his hand for him to follow.

"Doesn't sound like it's something you make in a dorm kitchen," Chandler speculated, but Monica brushed it off.

"I'll make it work. Come, buy food with me," she zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder.

"Whatever you say," he agreed and grabbed his keys, following her out the door. "I'm sure it'll beat the hell out of whatever is in the cafeteria tonight…"

to be continued…

_._._

_This is the part that inspired my title, by the way. Since it's the song Chandler was singing. I had this part written before I posted the last, and was dying to find a title so I could post it, and decided, hey, why not?_

_Anyway, please review! The more inspiration I have, the faster I write :)_


	3. Fall 1989

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 3

_Is anyone alive out there in fic-land? I know it's summer, but I feel like everyone disappeared! Or is everyone just as busy as me? If you're still out there, leave some reviews! It's hard to find motivation to write when I have nothing to procrastinate!_

_._._Fall 1989_._._

Monica stopped at the guys' dorm room, seeing the note on the door.

'Went to get pizza, back in a few.' She read it a few times, trying to decide if it was Ross's handwriting or Chandler's. Either way, she shrugged, opening the unlocked door. Whoever wrote the note was expecting the other back soon, so they would obviously both be back momentarily. Closing the door behind her, she dropped her bag and purse next to Chandler's bed, sitting down in the chair at his desk. She didn't dare sit at Ross's desk. During an earlier visit, she had tried that. Somehow, her mere presence messed everything up, so she now stuck to Chandler's side of the room as much as she could, not wanting to feel the "wrath" of her big brother. Monica smiled to herself; she could still beat him up.

Monica pulled out one of her books, snickering at the stick-figure drawings Chandler had done on the top of what looked to be a calculus assignment. A few were slightly inappropriate. Hopefully, he didn't plan on actually turning that in. She pushed his paper aside, setting her book down.

When she heard the door open, she was in mid-sentence, and waited to finish it to greet whichever of the boys had returned first, since they obviously had yet to notice her presence.

"Hey!" she scooted back in the chair. "Oh my god!" Her mouth flew up to her mouth.

"Monica! What the hell!" Chandler fumbled for both the towel he had just dropped to the ground, and to his boxers he had just gotten out of his dresser. "Turn around, turn around!" he motioned. Monica laughed, complying with his request. "Great for my self-esteem that you laugh, by the way," he grumbled.

"I'm laughing at the situation," she explained, turning back around.

"Still not dressed!" He motioned to the boxers he was wearing.

"But, not naked," she added, and he sighed, pulling on a pair of jeans and grabbing a shirt out of his closet. "Hey, what's that?" she stood up, moving over to him.

"What's what?" he shrugged off the question, starting to pull on his t-shirt.

"That," she stopped him, touching his bare chest.

Chandler sighed, turning red. "Itsanubbin," he mumbled.

"It's a what?" she repeated as he pushed her away and pulled his shirt on.

"A nubbin."

"It looks like-"

"A third nipple," he sighed, moving past her and laying, face down, on his bed.

Monica tried to stifle a laugh. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were showering," she sat on the bed beside him. When he didn't respond, she touched his back. "I won't tell anyone?"

"Promise?" he asked, still facedown.

"Promise."

"Promise what?" Ross asked, walking in with Carol, pizza in hand.

"Oh, she just promised to pay me back 20 bucks she borrowed a few weeks ago," Chandler grinned, standing up and grabbing the few plates they had to eat on. Monica glared in return.

"Make her pay you back! She's always stealing my money!" Ross nodded in her direction, and Monica again glared at Chandler, moving from his bed, to his desk chair.

"Maybe if you weren't so cheap, and didn't make everyone else pay for stuff for you, they wouldn't feel compelled to steal your money," Carol interjected, grabbing one of the plates from Chandler.

"That's true," Monica nodded in agreement.

"Hey, what are you guys doing tonight?" Carol asked, and Monica and Chandler both shrugged. "The Lacrosse girls are all having a party tonight, but Ross won't go, because he, after two years, still doesn't know anybody," she explained, slightly exasperated. "He's really just intimidated by women who can beat him up," she added, slightly quieter.

"That's why we never had a better relationship," Monica whispered back, and both girls laughed.

"This room is very small. I can hear you guys!" Ross yelled, grabbing a slice of pizza for himself.

"Anyway, wanna come?" Carol looked back and forth between Monica and Chandler, who both nodded. "Awesome," she grinned. "Chandler, there are **tons** of hot girls. As long as you're not intimidated by women who can beat you up."

Chandler shrugged in defeat. "Pretty sure most women can beat me up, so, really, I'm okay with it!"

To be continued…

_**Not**__ thrilled with this chapter, but very excited to post the next one. Well, the next two really, but especially the next one. You guys will like it. Well, I really like it, I have no idea about you, I guess. Anyway, just wanted this one to fill in the how Monica was the only one who knew about his third nipple thing :) This chapter has been holding me up from writing/posting the rest of the series, so I just decided to post it as is so I can get on with it! Anywho, review, and I'll post the next part soon(ish)! Please and thanks! :)_


	4. Spring 1990

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 4

**Spring 1990**

"That is it!" Monica slammed Ross and Chandler's door as she entered. Chandler literally jumped, the book he was reading on his bed falling to the ground. "Sorry," she added, slightly softer. "But, seriously, that is it! I am **done** with Rachel!" she exclaimed, throwing her purse down, pacing across the room. "If she wants to choose stupid guys and stupid, snobby, sorority girls over me, her oldest friend in the world, that's fine!" She stopped, frowning out the window.

"What happened?" Chandler finally asked, standing up to pick his book up from the floor.

"Oh, just Rachel being Rachel," she sighed, sitting in his desk chair. "Really, I should be used to it by now. I should be used to her forgetting every time we have plans. I should be used to her always having something more important in her life than me." She kicked at his backpack before standing up. "And…God, she has always been like this!" She shoved a notebook off of his desk. "And, this isn't a new thing. This isn't even a college thing. This is an, our whole life thing! I've just always let her do it to me before. She was my only friend when I was a fat kid, so I put up with her because she was the best I had. But know what? I don't need her anymore," she sighed, sitting next to Chandler on his bed.

"Right! Don't need her anymore!" he cheered on her rant. "However, please stop taking it out on my stuff," he added, pushing the book he had grabbed to the far end of the bed, away from her.

"Then why does it feel like I'm breaking up with my first boyfriend all over again," she whined, falling back onto the bed.

"Because Rachel's always been a big part of your life?" Chandler offered. Monica just sighed, pulling his pillow over her head. "Know what you need to do?"

"Hm?" came her muffled reply.

"Get wasted?" he suggested, and she dropped the pillow. "Only cure for a broken heart," he added.

"What do you have in mind?"

"You know Mike, from down the hall?"

"The really hot one?"

"Not my call to make, but sure," he shrugged. "His parents are going out of town, and they live just a few blocks away. He's having a party tonight…"

"There's gonna be alcohol there?" Monica asked, and he nodded. "And hot Mike?"

"Alcohol _and_ hot Mike," he laughed.

"Let's go, Bing," she grabbed his hand and got up to leave, but he pulled her back down.

"Mon, it's 2 o'clock in the afternoon. His parents probably aren't even gone yet."

Monica frowned. "You're 21," she finally said, and he nodded. "Then, let's go," she again grabbed his hand, and he laughed, but let her pull him up from the bed.

~.~.~

Monica giggled, stifling a hiccup as Chandler dug for his keys in his pockets. As was apparent by leaning on each other for support, both were completely gone.

"Come, on-nn," Monica tried to help the process along by patting his pocket. "There are no keys in there," she pointed out, and Chandler stepped back, feeling first his front pockets, and then his back pockets.

"Fuckin' A!" he leaned against the wall. "How are we gonna get in now?"

Monica shrugged, but tried the door anyway. "It's unlocked!"

"No way!" he pushed it open. "Mon, you're a gen-i-ous," he put his arm around her waist, pulling her into his room. Monica giggled, stumbling through the door, and landing on his bed.

"Is the entire world spinning?" she squinted, putting her hand to her head. "'Cause, the hallway was, and now your room is."

Chandler laughed, pushing her over to make room for himself. "The whole world **is** spinning! Didn't you pass, like, first grade?"

Monica laughed, a little too hard for how funny the joke had been. Suddenly, though, the smile turned to a frown. "I still can't believe Rachel."

"Mon-i-ca, getting wasted was s'posed to make you **not** think about **that**," Chandler turned his head toward her.

"Well, I am," she continued to frown. "I just don't get her. Why are these random guys so much more betterer than me?" she motioned to herself.

"I don't think random guys are betterer than you," Chandler offered.

"Well, she does," Monica nodded. "And, random guys think she is betterer than me."

"Well, then they are **all** crazy," Chandler reassured her, playing with her hair.

"You are just saying that," Monica shook her head.

"Am not."

"Are, too!"

"Am not."

"Are, too!"

"Mon, I don't even know what we're arguing about," Chandler laughed, pulling her in, only meaning to hug her. However, she was now lying, half on top of him, one leg between his, their faces inches apart. "You're beautiful," he finally whispered, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face, hand resting on the back of her head. She responded by leaning in, her lips slowly brushing against his, her hand slowly running through his hair.

In their drunken state, however, it did not stop there. Chandler moved his hands slowly down, from entangled in her hair, along her sides, resting on either side of her slim hips. Monica pushed herself up, moving completely on top of him, straddling him, still not breaking the kiss. She was wearing a skirt, an uncharacteristically short skirt for Monica. When his hands hit bare skin, he lost it, running them up and down her thighs.

If he had been at all more sober, he would have stopped there. Hell, he probably wouldn't have gone that far. Not even close. She was Monica. His good friend, Monica. Ross's sister, Monica. Ross's _little_ sister, Monica.

But, in his drunken state, when she started unbuttoning his jeans, the only thought in his mind was whether or not the condoms he had from freshman year were still in the bottom of his sock drawer. When she grinded against him, the only fabric between them being his boxers and her panties, he moaned. They had better still be in the bottom of his drawer. He needed to know soon, but couldn't make himself stop, moving his hips to meet hers. One of her hands was under his shirt, on his stomach. The other on the elastic band of his boxers. He fumbled with her bra behind her back, giving up after a few tries and settling for pushing it up in front.

When she started pushing his boxers down, Chandler moved his hands, slowly pushing her skirt up farther. His fingers played with the top of her underwear, and she kissed him even harder, increasing the friction between them. Now only one layer of fabric was in the way. He moaned into her mouth, starting to pull her panties down as well. She shifted some of her weight to make it easier for him, still not breaking the kiss. The discussion in his head about the condoms had somehow gotten pushed away, either because of the alcohol, or the fact that this was the only action he had gotten in quite some time.

One more second and it would be too late anyway.

He pushed her panties the rest of the way down, and she kicked them to the floor. Her hard, uneven breathing matched his in-between hungry kisses. He deepened the kiss, his hands back on her hips, her body completely pressed against his. He pushed her hips up, and was met with no resistance.

One more second, and-

"Dude, do you know-" one of their floormates came through the unlocked door, but stopped suddenly at the scene in front of him.

"Dude!" Chandler angrily replied, and the other kid immediately turned around.

"Dude, lock the door before you fuck!" he spun the lock on the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Chandler closed his eyes, suddenly more sober. Monica buried her face in his chest. He tightened his arms around her in a hug, then shifted to pull his pants up, still breathing heavily. He then rolled over, so they were both on their sides, Monica still burying her face in his chest.

"Probably best we got interrupted," he finally offered, kissing her forehead. He got no response. "Mon." He leaned back, trying to get any kind of response. Monica sighed, eyes still closed. "Mon, please say something," Chandler begged, and she shook her head, rolling over to face the wall. "Fuck," he whispered, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. "Fuck," he repeated, running a hand through his hair.

After a few moments of deep breaths and thinking in circles about the situation, he finally rolled over to Monica, resting one hand on her side, cuddling up against her. "Don't let this ruin us, Monica," he finally whispered against the back of her shoulder. When she didn't respond, he sighed, leaning his forehead against the back of her head. "See, you can't let this make things weird with us, because, don't tell Ross, but since he's with Carol all the time…you're kinda my best friend, Mon," he paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry I got you drunk tonight, and I'm sorry I'm a horny, 21-year-old guy, I just," he sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. I'm stupid and sorry."

"I'm stupid and sorry, too," Monica finally whispered. She slowly rolled over to face him. "And…you're kinda my best friend, too."

"Yea?"

"Yea." She nodded, playing with the bangle bracelets on her arm. "So, this never happened?"

Chandler smiled at her uncertainty, whispering, "What never happened?" Monica smiled back, moving to get up. "You're not going home by yourself this late, are you?"

Monica shook her head. "Bathroom." Chandler nodded, watching her leave the room, still slightly stumbling. He smiled to himself at her shoeless state, and laughed to himself when she grabbed her underwear from the ground and shoved them into her pocket. Once she was gone, he stretched out on the bed, burying his face in his pillow. He cursed himself for being so stupid, for the whole stupid night. For doing something so stupid and almost losing his best friend in the world. He took a few more deep breaths, still trying to calm down. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the hormones that had him still so worked up. What was he trying to do anyway, make out with all of the girls that Ross would (attempt) to beat him up for making out with? Rachel, check! Monica, check! He's might as well add Carol and Judy Geller to that list.

Chandler laughed at that last thought, and finally just smiled into the pillow, letting the excessive amount of alcohol he'd had earlier in the night take effect. His last semi-coherent thought before passing out was there were worse ways to end a night than making out with Monica Geller…

To be continued…

_Well, that's as much of, urm, __**that**__, that I've ever written, so…yea. Reviews are appreciated. And thanks for the reviews so far…I have a feeling this is gonna be a pretty long series, so lots of motivation will be needed :) I was gonna have a lot more to this chapter, which I've had written since the first chapter, but I kept adding and adding and changing…and finally decided I needed to stop changing and adding, or I would just ruin it._

_So, there ya have it. There's the Mondler hookup you guys keep saying you want, haha :)_


	5. May 1990

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 5

_So, all I have to do for a bunch of quick reviews is write some sex? Haha ;) No, seriously, thanks TONS for the reviews on the last one. I was nervous about it. And…it left me wanting to make this completely AU, but…I'm not going to. I don't think. Maybe I'll do something like that later. Maybe…I re-e-eally don't need any more fics going on right now, though...HOWEVER…I will hopefully be posting a new series soon, as I'm trying to wrap up _Then_, but it's gonna be something more…dramatic/more in character for me to write, haha…_

_BTW, I'm on a roll right now with this! So, I'm gonna keep posting as I write, before I lose motivation!_

**May 1990**

"So, **Chef **Geller," Chandler grinned at Monica as she walked through the door. She returned it with an even bigger grin. "How does it feel to be all graduated and official?"

"Amazing!" she exclaimed, but stopped suddenly, looking around the room. "You're not packed yet? My parents are gonna be here any minute! Aren't they storing most of your stuff for the summer?"

"Yea, but you like packing?" he offered, and she laughed.

"I would take offense to that, but…I just graduated, and I got a job-"

"You got a job?!"

"Yep! A **real** job! At a **real** restaurant--Iridium! With the title of "chef" and everything!" She grabbed a box and started methodically packing things from his desk.

"I was kidding about that, you don't have to pack," he laughed. "Congrat's about the job, though, that's awesome!"

"Thanks!" She continued to pack his things. "How long are you gonna be gone?"

"Only a couple of months. Probably not all summer," he shrugged, grabbing another box and wadding up the remaining clothes from his drawers as he threw them in. Monica's eyes widened dramatically. "What?"

"Okay, you need to stop that," she grabbed the box from his hands, setting it on the bed. "So, where are you going again?"

"To see my dad in Vegas for a couple of weeks. If I can take a couple of weeks of him. Then to stay with my mom in L.A.. If I can stand my mom for that long." He grabbed another box, throwing books in it. "My mom's current boyfriend has every Nintendo game ever made, though, so it won't be that bad," he shrugged, throwing his toothbrush on top of the pile of books.

"Seriously, you suck at the packing thing." She grabbed the box from his hands, setting it on the bed. "I'm kinda…gonna miss you this summer, though…"

"Yea," he sat down on the bed. "I'll kinda miss you, too."

"And you're leaving me at my parents' with Ross all summer," she sighed, sitting beside him.

"You live with him three months out of the year. I live with him the other nine," he pointed out, and Monica laughed.

"Well, if you get sick of your parents, you can always come back early and stay with us," Monica offered, leaning against his shoulder. "Did I miss you this much last summer?"

"I kinda missed you last summer," Chandler admitted, wrapping his arm around her. "And if I come back early, that only means that I live with Ross for that much longer."

"Hey, Chandler," Ross started, walking through the door, but stopped suddenly, seeing Chandler's unpacked half of the room. "Dude, you're not packed yet?! My parents are downstairs waiting!" He started grabbing his already packed boxes, heading back out the door.

Chandler tightened his arm around Monica, kissing her forehead before letting her get up to continue packing. He watched her for a few moments before continuing to pack as well. "My mom has one of those cell phone things. I'll have it all summer," Chandler finally offered. "You can call, whenever, ya know, if you want to," he shrugged. He grabbed all of the clothes from his closet, attempting to fit them into his suitcase.

"What's her phone number?" Monica finally asked, looking for something to write on. She frowned. "I think I packed all of your notebooks already."

"C'mere," he motioned to her, grabbing a pen from her dresser. He wrote the number on the back of her hand.

"Come on, come on!" Ross entered, this time with his parents. "I expect this from you, Chandler, but Monica? Come on! Pack, pack, pack!"

"Don't write on your hand, Monica, it looks trashy," Judy wrinkled her nose.

"Thanks for letting me leave some of my stuff at your house for the summer, Mrs. Geller," Chandler ignored her comment, not giving her or Monica the chance to say anything else. "Ross, I'll help you grab some boxes while Monica packs. She doesn't think I'm doing it right," he grabbed two boxes, walking out the door, Ross close behind.

"I don't know why you hang out with that boy," Judy shook her head at Monica, who sighed, continuing to pack.

"At least she's hanging out with **a** boy," Jack offered, grabbing a box and leaving as well.

"You're not dating him, are you?" Judy reorganized some items in a few of Ross's boxes that were still open.

"No, Mom," Monica sighed.

"Well, at least he's leaving for the summer," Judy added, grabbing a box and leaving as well.

Monica grabbed Chandler's pillow, throwing it across the room, just as Chandler walked through the door. He caught it and threw it back to his bed, looking at her in confusion. She quickly crossed the room, throwing her arms around his neck. He stumbled backwards, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Don't leave me alone with them for a whole summer!"

Chandler laughed, wrapping his other arm around her, hugging her back. "It won't be so bad."

"Easy for you to say, you get to leave for the summer!"

"And spend time with my gay burlesque show-staring father, and porn novel-writing mother. Score," he loosened his arm around her, but she held on still. "Mon, this isn't making the whole packing thing happen any faster," he grabbed her arm from behind his neck. "See, now you're making me feel bad," he hugged her again. "You aren't even going to notice that I'm gone. You'll have your new job and all that stuff," he squeezed her tighter. "You are, however, going to have to let go of me soon, or I'm going to miss my flight."

"Right," Monica nodded in agreement, finally letting go.

"What is with the standing around, people?!" Ross again entered, grabbing another box. "Move it, move it! Chandler needs to be to the airport in less than an hour!"

"He is kinda right," Chandler agreed as Ross left the room.

"Why don't you just grab what you're taking and go get a cab. I'll pack the rest," Monica offered.

"In that case…I'm kinda already ready."

"Oh." Monica frowned.

"Okay, you are going to have to stop with the sad thing, or else next year, when you stay here with us, you are sleeping on Ross's bed, not mine."

"Well, next year, I'll hopefully find an apartment, so that won't really matter," she smiled.

"In that case, I call the couch," he set his suitcase and back pack next to the door. "I should really get going, though…"

"Oh kay," Monica dragged out the word with a sigh.

"God, you act like you're never gonna see me again. Really, you're gonna enjoy it. I'm kinda a pain in the ass," he walked back over to her with a smile, which she did not return. "God, come here," he hugged her again. "I'll miss you, too," he whispered. "Wanna come down with me while I attempt to get a cab with everyone moving out of the dorms?" Monica shook her head. "Well, I gotta go, Mon," he squeezed her hand. "I'll call you sometime tonight. Don't have too much fun 'til I get back," he added with a grin, and she just nodded. "Bye, Monica," he whispered. He then leaned in, at first planning on kissing her forehead, but deciding on a quick kiss on the lips.

"Bye, Chandler," she whispered in return, and he gave her a slight smile. She watched him grab his bags, glancing back with another smile before walking out the door. Monica picked up the pillow she had thrown earlier, hugging it to her chest as she sat down on his bed.

Judy again entered with a sigh. "Monica, you can mope at home. Come on, we're almost done." Judy picked up the last empty box, setting it next to Monica. Monica glared at her for a moment before standing up, packing the last of Chandler's things, slowly, to spite her mother. Judy sighed heavily at her, leaving the room empty-handed. Monica smiled at her small victory.

It was going to be a long summer…

To be continued…

_Reviews are always appreciated! And I think you Mondler fans will like this from here on out, even if I don't have them together-together…you'll see! And, Phoebe will be entering in a couple of chapters, too. And…she's just fun, so she should make it even more fun. You'll see. Yea, it's like 3 AM, so I'm gonna stop with the rambling now._


	6. August 1990

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 6

_Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are the best!!! I'm gonna post this now, since my summer classes start on Monday (boooooo), and one of my professors emailed our class last night saying that the suggested reading (__**suggested**__, not even the __**required**__ reading) needed to be done by the first class. Well, that class is going to be __**loads**__ of fun…_

_However, by killing myself with horrible classes this summer (anatomy and physiology 1 and 2 and stupid psych lab that sounds torturous), and adding one more class this fall…guess who's graduating in December?!?! _

_And-AND…might have a wedding date set! For 2011. As long as it's available at my church :) I'm sure I'll keep you updated, even though I'm sure no one cares at all!_

_Man…when did I become such a grown up :(_

**August 1990**

Chandler climbed down from the ladder propped up against the house, paintbrush in hand. He took a few steps back, admiring the trim he had completed on one side of the house in only a few hours. Since the dorms didn't open for a couple more weeks, and he was back in New York already, he actually was staying with the Gellers, much to Monica and Ross's delight, and Judy's despise. After spending only two days at their house alone, though, he was bored out of his mind. Both Judy and Jack were gone all day, Jack at work, Judy doing god knows what. Ross was taking a summer class and usually stopped to see Carol afterwards, and Monica was either working or with her boyfriend, a waiter from work named Curtis. So, Chandler had jumped at the chance to paint their house when Jack mentioned doing it before the end of the summer, in desperate need of some way to spend the next couple of weeks without dying of boredom.

Hearing a car pull up in front of the house, he grabbed his t-shirt from the ground and walked around to the front, surprised to see it was Curtis's car. Monica hardly ever had a day off, so it didn't make sense that she would be home already, unless maybe they were hanging out there. That didn't make sense, though, because Curtis's family had a nice pool in their backyard. When she angrily slammed his car door, though, and he sped off down the street, Chandler realized the reason. Monica stomped up the driveway, not even noticing him.

"You…okay?" Chandler offered, keeping his distance as she entered the house, not a fan of angry Monica.

"Argh, **boys**!" she exclaimed, throwing her bag across the living room before stomping up the stairs. Chandler continued to follow her, wondering what this Curtis had done to piss her off so badly, and if it was her being an overreacting girl, or if he and Ross needed to team up and go kick his ass.

"Mon?" he opened her door, which was already cracked slightly. When she didn't respond, he opened it the rest of the way, finding her facedown on her bed. "You okay?" he repeated, and she shook her head. He crossed the room, sitting down next to her, dropping his shirt next to the bed.

"I-I'm fine," she finally said into the pillow, and it was then he noticed that she was actually crying, her back rising in silent sobs. She was sad, not mad.

"What happened?" he placed his hand on her back. Her hair was still wet from swimming, and he could feel her wet bathing suit through her tank top. She had left in a hurry.

"It's stupid," she sat up, wiping her eyes. "**I'm** stupid," she shook her head. "I'm not even mad at him, I'm just mad at me. Except I am mad at him," she added. "Pissed."

"What did he do? Or…not do?" Chandler asked, still not understanding.

"I just…God, I feel so stupid saying it…"

"It's me, Mon. You can tell me anything," he said softly, and she nodded, looking at the ground.

"I just…I told him that…I love him," she whispered, shaking her head. "And he just…went off on this whole stupid rant, about how he was only home for the summer, and I knew that, and why would I assume this was anything more than a stupid summer fling? And-a-and I, why do I have to get so serious? And if that's how it's gonna be, we just need to stop seeing each other right now, because he's not going back to school his senior year attached to someone from home, a-a-and," she trailed off, still crying, and now nearly hyperventilating. Chandler rubbed her back, trying to get her to breathe through her sobs, but it only got worse as she tried to hold them in and stop crying.

"C'mere," he pulled her back down so she was lying down, now on top of him, head lying on his bare chest. "Match my breathing," he whispered, and she nodded as he continued to slowly rub her back. After a few minutes, her breathing slowed.

"Where'd you learn that?" she whispered, not moving to get up.

"My mom. I threw many a tantrum after my parents got divorced," he smirked. "She's not an all bad mom," he added as an afterthought. "Are you…okay?"

Monica sighed. "I will be. I just feel so stupid for falling for this guy," she continued to whisper, still trying to keep her breathing slow with his.

"He's just a stupid guy," Chandler whispered back. "Forget about him."

"See, that's the thing. I can't just forget he ever existed…"

"Why not?"

"Well," she started slowly, taking a deep breath. "He's kinda the only guy…I've…ever…slept with," she finished, barely even in a whisper.

"Oh," Chandler said, not knowing that she had been a virgin. "Oh," he added again, more seriously, suddenly realizing something. If they hadn't been interrupted that night…

"That shocking, huh?" she sighed.

"No! No, I mean, I guess I just assumed you did with your boyfriend in high school, Roy, or whatever," he quickly explained himself, not wanting her to feel worse.

"Nope," she sighed again. "Not that he didn't give it a good effort after prom," she smiled slightly at the memory before sighing again. "God, I'm just so stupid," she buried her face in his chest, still lying on top of him. "You smell like sweat by the way."

"I bet," he laughed. "I've been outside painting all day." He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, feeling her take a few deep breaths, her warm tears against his skin. "It'll be ok," he finally whispered, kissing the top of her head.

~.~

"What the hell is going on here?!" Ross stood in Monica's doorway, arms across his chest. He was obviously not happy to find what appeared to be a barely dressed Monica and Chandler sleeping together, Monica still lying on Chandler. They both jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Mind your own business," Monica stood up, pushing him against the chest as she stomped past him, heading down the hallway to the bathroom.

"What the hell just happened here?" Ross repeated to Chandler, who grabbed his shirt from the floor, pulling it over his head.

"Dude, nothing happened," he stood up, walking over to him. Ross blocked the doorway.

"So, why are you half-naked, in bed with my sister?" Ross repeated. "I know she's slept in your bed before when she's stayed with us, which is already weird enough, but this," he motioned with his arms, "doesn't look good for you!"

"Ross, nothing happened," he repeated. "I was outside painting all day, that explains the lack of shirt," he started. "She came home, upset because Curtis is a complete asshole, and she was crying and hyperventilating, and I was trying to get her to slow down and breath, and I guess we fell asleep laying there," he finished.

"Oh," Ross's expression softened a bit. "So, _really_ nothing happened."

"_Really_, nothing happened," Chandler nodded in return.

"So, her and Curtis are done?" Ross asked, and Chandler nodded. "Good, 'cause I hate that guy," he added, and Chandler laughed, nodding in agreement. "So, what did he do?"

"Ask Monica if you want to know. Not my story to tell."

Ross finally stepped out of the doorway, letting Chandler through. When Chandler moved to leave Monica's room, though, Ross again stopped him. "Do you have a thing for my sister?"

Chandler scoffed. "We're just friends, Ross."

"That's not what I asked," Ross called him on his vague answer. Chandler patted him on the shoulder, walking past him and down the hallway. "Chandler," he stated again, but he kept walking.

"We're just friend, Ross," he repeated over his shoulder, making his way down the stairs.

To be continued…

_Review, please and thanks!_

_And, if you don't hear from me for a month, that's because my lab class is killing me (2 group projects + 2 like, 18 page APA format papers in less than a month + A&P = having no life). Oh, and I need to study for the GRE. God, why do I procrastinate? However, I do have the next 2 parts of this written, so if I decide I like them enough not to mess with them, I might post them. OR, I might be so stressed out that I write a whole bunch. OR, I might disappear until July or August. Guess we'll see…_


	7. Fall 1990

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 7

_Thanks for all of the well-wishes for our wedding :) I love you guys!_

_And…you'll be, urm, happy, to know that I can't make it from my lab class (which is off campus—did NOT know that) back to campus in time for my other class, so I'm only taking one class this summer. So, yay for writing time. Boooo for not graduating until May._

_Anywho, I'm watching _Because I Said So_ right now, and when I started watching it, I giggled at the fact that I'm pretty sure Matthew Perry was rumored to have dated all three of the sisters in it at some point, haha…Um…I spent, quite literally, all of yesterday with my soon-to-be in-laws, so I'm taking pleasure where I can find it today. Anyway, the fic! Here ya go!_

_And, um, it's REALLY hard for me not to write some more, um, inappropriate Mondler scenes in here, ha. _

**Fall 1990**

Monica looked up in surprise from the elevator as she reached the guys' floor. When the door opened, Ross, Chandler, Gandalf, and two other guys she recognized by face, not name, were standing there waiting.

"Big plans tonight?" she asked, staying on the elevator as they got on to go down.

"Hell yes!" Gandalf exclaimed, leading the group in. "We're gonna fucking **party**!" The two younger-looking guys, freshmen from their floor, she presumed, high-fived to that.

"Awesome," she said sarcastically, raising her eyebrows. "You're not coming with me, then?" She looked at Chandler, whose smile soon fell.

"We had plans?" he asked slowly. "You can come with us?" he offered, but got a dirty look from both Gandalf and Ross in return. The younger two, not so subtly checking her out, showed no objection to a hot girl tagging along.

"No, you were going to go with me to look at my grandmother's apartment?" she said, now slightly angry. "Meet the loopy-sounding girl who responded to my ad for a roommate? Ya know, make sure she isn't as crazy as she sounds, and I don't end up chopped up in tiny pieces and buried in Central Park?"

Chandler laughed. "That's not gonna happen anyway, Mon."

"Whatever," she pushed past the boys as the elevator opened. "Have fun," she added, not at all sincerely.

"Shit," Chandler sighed, closing his eyes.

"Dude, she's not even your girlfriend," Gandalf pushed him out of the elevator, the students waiting to get on getting patient. "Let's go get wasted and show these freshmen boys' friends what the word party actually means!"

~.~

Monica sighed heavily as her cab pulled up to her grandmother's building. Her grandmother was currently scouting out retirement villages, heading south for warmer weather. When Monica mentioned she was looking for an apartment sometime in the near future, her grandmother had offered hers. Monica laughed, knowing that, like everywhere else descent, she couldn't afford it. However, it was rent-controlled, and as long as she was subletting it from her grandmother, and as long as she had a roommate, she actually could afford it.

Monica sighed as she got out of the cab, wishing her grandmother was at least in town. _Oh, well,_ she thought, _gotta grow up sometime_.

"Chandler," she stopped suddenly, seeing him leaning against the wall of the building. "What are you doing?" She looked around, trying not to grin, still slightly peeved at him. "How did you beat me here?"

"I walked," he laughed. "And…Gandalf will get over it," he shrugged. "I'm sorry I forgot I said I'd come with you, though," he added, following her through the door.

"How did you know where this place is?" Monica asked as they walked up the stairs.

"Ross."

"Ah," she stopped at apartment 20. "This is it!" She unlocked the door.

"Holy shit, Mon, how are you going to afford this?" He walked in, looking around. "This place is huge!"

"I know!" she exclaimed, turning on the lights. "And, I'll be…not-so-legally subletting it from her," she shrugged. "Gotta do what ya gotta do."

"What time is that Phoebe girl supposed to come look at it and meet you?" he asked, looking down at his watch.

"Um, any minute now," she looked at the time as well. "Hey, wanna see my room!"

Chandler grinned at her. "Whoa, whoa, whao, I know I blew off the guys for you, but…"

"Jerk!" Monica playfully hit his arm. "No, c'mere!" She pulled him over to the bigger of the two bedrooms.

"Wow, it's like the size of our whole dorm room," Chandler laughed. "Isn't it gonna be weird sleeping in a room where your grandmother has had sex, though?"

"Chandler!" She again hit him. "My grandmother does **not** have sex," she added. "Old people do **not** do that." Chandler laughed at her again, prompting another hit.

"Hey, blew off the guys for you," he pointed out, rubbing his arm as they walked back to the living room and Chandler sat down on one of the couches.

"No, you tried to blow me off for them," she corrected him, and he smiled apologetically as the intercom buzzed.

"Oh, that's her!" Monica ran over to the door. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Phoebe!" came a sing-song voice.

"Hey! Come on up!" Monica buzzed her up.

"See, she does not sound capable of being a murderer," Chandler pointed out. "She sounds very sweet."

Monica rolled her eyes, opening the front door just as Phoebe was coming down the hallway.

"Hi!' Phoebe exclaimed, coming into the apartment. "Oh, oh! I like you, you're aura's all bright and turquoise-y!" she exclaimed, hugging Monica. Monica was a bit taken back by the sudden sign of affection, but hugged her back anyway. "Oh," she looked at Chandler. "I like you, too! You're all yellow!" she exclaimed before looking around the apartment.

"Um, thanks?" Chandler looked at the strange girl, not even aware that he had an aura.

"Mother of God!" she continued to look around. "How is this only what you told me every month? Are we killing the people who live here or something," she giggled, walking back to where Monica was, now standing behind the couch.

"No, but, um, not so legally subletting it from my grandmother," she explained. "I hope that's okay."

"Honey, I lived on the streets from the time I was 14, I think illegally subletting an amazing apartment is the least of my worries with the law," she laughed.

"You lived on the streets?" Chandler asked, confused.

"Yea, well, you know, mom killed herself, real dad disappeared, step-dad in jail," she rolled her eyes. "Same old story," she added. "Who are you?'

"Chandler," he reached his hand out to shake hers.

"Nice to meet you," she wrinkled her nose. "Boyfriend Chandler?" she looked at Monica, eyebrows raised.

"Not a boyfriend Chandler," she shook her head.

"Ok, well, very nice to meet you, Not a Boyfriend Chandler," she smiled at him, walking around the apartment again. "This room?" she pointed to the bedroom closest to them, and Monica nodded.

"So, um, what do you do now? Ya know, not on the streets?" Monica asked, following her.

"Oh! I'm a masseuse!" she grinned. "My grandmother found me on the streets and took me in and helped me pay to go to massage therapy school, and now that I'm done paying her back, I figure the least I can do is get out of her hair." She crossed the apartment to look at the bathroom. "So, when can we move in?" she asked excitedly. "I mean, not to be presumptuous or anything."

"Um, it depends on when my grandmother moves, but it probably won't be for a few months," Monica explained. "She's taking her furniture with her, but my parents are letting me have their old living room furniture, so we're good there."

"Oh! I have a kitchen table and some chairs!" Phoebe bounced up and down, pointing to the kitchen. "Oh, this is exactly how I thought it would be!"

Monica couldn't help but smile at Phoebe's excitement. She, of course, wanted her as a roommate. Who could resist her odd charm?

"Well, I actually have a client in half an hour, just right down the street, so I should probably get going," Phoebe sighed, taking one last look around the apartment. "It was so nice meeting you, Monica!" She again hugged her. "And you, too, Not a Boyfriend Chandler," she smiled at him before walking to the door, shouting back, "Can't wait to hear from you again!"

Chandler laughed out loud after she left. "You were afraid of her?" He continued to laugh. "I have a feeling that if she killed a spider, she would mourn it for days."

"Shut up, you can never tell over the phone." S he sat down next to him after turning on the TV. "So, what do you wanna do tonight?"

Chandler shrugged. "Well, since you ruined my plans," he teased her. She made a face, scooting away from him on the couch. "Kidding, Mon," he again moved closer to her, putting his arm on the back of the couch behind her. "I'm good with this," he said, nodding to the screen.

Monica relaxed into his arm, which he then somewhat tightened around her. "I'm good with this, too."

To be continued…

_I love writing Phoebe dialogue, haha. I looked up a website about meanings of colors of auras before writing this, and…the website that came up was all about reading people's auras, and…let's just say, there are some, um, INTERESTING people out there…_

_Now, you review, and then I continue :)_


	8. January 1991

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 8

_So…got the whole class thing figured out. Graduation on Dec 18, 2009: still on! Btw, sitting on campus at school, just got some jalapeno flavored chips from the vending machine, and…ho-ly shit they are the spiciest chips EVER. All of the food in the vending machines here is like weird off brand stuff, and, oh my god, they are worse than all other jalapeno flavored chips. I was like in tears. And then drank my entire bottle of water I brought that was supposed to last me the rest of the day. _

_ANYWAY…so, I will be unbelievably busy the next 5 weeks (and the 5 after that, but then I'll only have one class, not two), sooo…I thought I'd post this! Especially since the bookstore is out of the textbook (AND all the lab stuff) for my exam on freaking MONDAY, so…I'm super bored right now since I planned on reading. And I now have 7 chapters to read and 10 labs to do in a matter of days instead of a week. Man, what kind of crazy person takes summer classes??  
_

**January 1991**

"I can't believe it!" Monica exclaimed, looking around the box-filled apartment, completely empty other than those boxes. "It's **my** apartment!"

"Half your apartment," Ross corrected. "Why did you have to move on the coldest day of the year?" He dropped the last box, rubbing his hands together. "Dad's gonna bring the rest of the furniture by tomorrow?"

Monica nodded. "Yea, Phoebe's moving in, in the morning, and then he said he'll bring it in the afternoon."

"Kay, well I'll stop by then," he kissed her on the cheek. "I was supposed to meet Carol…three hours ago," he looked at his watch. "Is it really that late? I'd better get going," he waved to both Chandler and Monica before leaving.

"So, how does it feel?" Chandler asked, moving next to her.

"Amazing," she grinned. "Kinda empty, though," she looked around, wishing there was at least somewhere to sit. "Kinda scary, too," she frowned. "Kinda sucks," she added, thinking about spending the night there alone. "And we didn't think through the no place to sit thing!"

Chandler laughed as well. "It will be a whole lot less empty tomorrow. And Phoebe will be here, so a lot less scary."

Monica nodded, thinking of something. "Stay with me tonight?"

Chandler laughed. "Mon, in case you haven't noticed, there really isn't anywhere for me to sleep," he looked around the room. "Unless we push a bunch of boxes together and make sure there's nothing inside of them that can break," he looked at a few boxes. "Or, hard-wood floor is always a good thing to sleep on…"

"Sleep with me. I have my bed here," she said quietly. For some reason, it seemed so much more complicated to say that to him now, though she had slept in his bed in his dorm room numerous times. Being in an apartment instead of a dorm made it seem weird to o so.

"Mmm," Chandler looked down, scuffing his foot on the floor.

"Please?" Monica added, and off his sigh, added, "I owe you."

"I can't say no to please," he smiled at her. "And I can't say no to not having to go back to the dorms this late. And, you do owe me…"

"Thank you," she grinned, turning towards her bedroom.

"Now?" Chandler looked at her.

"Um, in case you hadn't noticed, this room is lacking in…everything. So," she shrugged, and continued to her room. Chandler followed, collapsing on the bed as she grabbed pajamas from her dresser.

"So much more comfortable than a dorm bed," he mumbled, kicking his shoes off to the floor. Monica just laughed, heading to the bathroom to change. She came back a few minutes later in flannel pants and a tshirt. Chandler was still lying on his stomach in the middle of the bed.

"Pick a side, Bing," she pushed him in the ribs. He reluctantly moved over.

"I didn't even know I was tired," he turned his head to face her. "This is much better for two than a dorm bed, too," he pointed out. Monica nodded in agreement as she lay down on the other side of the bed. "So, you feel like a grown up?" he asked. "Real job, apartment of your own…"

Monica smiled. "In a way, yes. In a way…no, not at all…"

"Know what you mean, kinda," he returned her smile. "I don't want to graduate in a few months. I still have **no** idea what the hell I'm going to do with my life."

"You'll figure it out," Monica reassured him.

"I'm glad you believe in me, at least," he laughed.

"Someone has to," she grinned, and when he didn't respond, she added, "'Night, Chandler."

"'Night, Mon," he mumbled, already half asleep.

~.~

"Hey, Monica?" Phoebe knocked on her half-open bedroom door. When she got no response, she opened it the rest of the way. "Um, Monica?" she repeated.

Monica blinked a few times, confused about where she was, why, and who she was sleeping with. After a few seconds, though, she realized she was in her new apartment, and Chandler's arms were around her. "Hi, Phoebe," she finally managed, suddenly realizing she not only didn't set an alarm, she hadn't plugged in her alarm clock.

"Late night, eh?" she asked suggestively, but Monica ignored it. "Hey, mind if I borrow him," she motioned to Chandler, who was sleeping through the conversation. "I've got a few pretty heavy boxes, and the table and chairs downstairs."

Monica again nodded, shaking Chandler slightly. "Hey, wake up," she shook his shoulder again, but he just rolled over, more on top of her. "Chandler," she finally said, shaking him harder. Chandler opened his eyes, and she could tell he was just as confused as she had been waking up.

"Well, hello again, Not a Boyfriend Chandler," Phoebe grinned suggestively at him as he looked around.

"Hi. How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long," she smiled. "Can you come help me with a few heavy boxes, though? I'm gonna go make sure no one steals any of my stuff," she added, leaving quickly.

Chandler blinked a few more times, not quite awake. He lay back down, pulling Monica with him so he was spooning her.

"Chandler," she laughed. "I need to finish moving. And Phoebe needs your help."

"Your fault, you made me stay," he tightened his arms around her, and she found it hard to argue. He groaned in protest when she pulled away.

"Come on," she pulled on his arm, and he finally caved in.

"You realize you just fully convinced Phoebe that I am, in fact, your boyfriend," he mused, running his hands through his hair in an attempt to fix it.

Monica laughed. "Yea, kinda afraid of that."

"Let's get this whole moving thing over with so I can go back to bed," he sighed, walking out of her bedroom.

"Um, Chandler?" Monica followed him, and he turned to look at her. "Thank you. For staying."

Chandler smiled. "My pleasure."

To be continued….

_Sorry that part wasn't all that great…but I thought I'd might as well post it since it's written._

_See you in five weeks! In the meantime, leave me some reviews, so I then have motivation to come back and finish…Okay, really, I hope I have time to write before then…the thought that I won't makes me sad :(_


	9. May 1991

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 9

_So, in my head, I've thought that Chandler and Monica have had at least a few dates/hookups (not together!) in between all of these chapters. However, I now realize that you guys cannot, in fact, read my mind, and you only know what I actually write here. My bad! :)_

_Also, a HUGE, HUGE thanks to Exintaris for some help straightening out parts of Monica's past, which come into play in the next few chapters!!_

_And, of course, thanks to all of you for reviewing/adding me as a favorite or an alert of some sort. You guys rock!_

**May 1991**

"Say cheese!" Judy said, taking a picture of Ross and Carol in their caps and gowns after graduation.

"Hey, can you take one of all of us?" Carol handed her camera to Judy. Chandler moved in next to Ross, tossing his cap into the air. Monica caught it, laughing, and Carol motioned for her to get into the picture as well. She moved between Ross and Chandler, and Chandler took his cap from her, placing it on her head since she was the only one not in a cap and gown.

"One, two, three," Judy counted, taking the picture. She handed the camera back to Carol, looking around. "Now, where did your father go?" She continued to look around. "Jack?" She walked away, continuing to call his name. "Jack!"

"So, big plans tonight?" Monica asked, not to anyone in particular.

"Hitting as many bars as possible downtown," Chandler was the first to reply.

"With a few thousand other people," Ross added, looking around at the endless sea of purple gowns and black caps surrounding them.

"Don't be a party pooper, Ross," Carol rolled her eyes at him. "Who doesn't go out after graduation?" Ross sighed dejectedly. "Or, me and Chandler can just go," Carol shrugged, and Chandler nodded.

"No!" Ross quickly interjected. "I don't want to be the only one left out!"

"Well, sorry to ditch you guys," Monica looked down at her watch. "But, I'm going out with Stuart tonight, so I'd better get going so I can go home and change first."

"Oh, bring him, too!" Carol grabbed her hand. "We need to meet this guy!"

"Definitely, that's like, what, five dates in the past week with the same guy?" Chandler asked. "That's gotta be some sort of record for you, huh, Mon?"

Monica hit him with the cap still in her hand. "No! Besides, when was the last date you had, like a year ago?"

"Hey, I've gone out with girls since then!" He paused thinking for a moment. "Well, girl…"

"Right, well, Monica, go home and change and meet up with Stuart," Carol cut into their discussion. "We'll call you when we get home and decide where we're heading first."

"Sounds good," Monica handed Chandler's cap back to him. He moved away like she was about to hit him again, to which she made a face before walking away. "Congrat's, guys!" she added over her shoulder, making her way through groups of gowns, wondering just how long it would take her to get home.

"Bye."

"Later!"

~.~

"This round's on me!" Ross held a shot up. "To graduating!"

"And not failing!" Chandler held his up as well. "Well, other than chemistry freshman year," he added with a frown.

"And here's to a 3.9 GPA!" Ross added. "Not to brag or anything."

"Or at least to a GPA over a 3.0!" Chandler held up his next shot.

"And here's to getting into grad school!" Ross added.

"Oh my gosh, just take the shot already!" Carol said in frustration, taking her own shot.

"Oh! And here's-"

"Seriously, take the shot, or I'm taking it for you!" Monica cut him off this time. They were at their third bar of the night, and who knew what round of shots it was, but Ross had made the same speech before each of the past few rounds.

"I got the next one," Stuart handed his money to the bartender, motioning for another round.

"Here's to our new friend, Stuart!" Ross this time raised his glass to Stuart.

"Dude, just take the shot," Chandler looked at him, knowing when to stop with the toasting.

"Here's to taking the shot!" Ross nodded, shot glass still raised. This time, Chandler grabbed it out of his hand, taking it for him. "Du-ude!"

"Then just take the fucking shot next time!"

Monica laughed, steadying herself against the bar as the three or four rounds of shots in a row quickly caught up with her, as well as the drinks from earlier in the night. "Hey, where's the bathroom here?" She stood on her toes, attempting to see over the crowd of people.

"I have to go, too. I'll go find them with you." Stuart held out his hand, which she took, following him through the crowd to one of the walls. "If we follow the wall, we have to run into a bathroom eventually?"

"Good plan," Monica nodded, laughing as they moved past a girl dancing on the opposite end of the bar. When they came to the end of the wall they had been following, they stumbled through a closed door and into an empty room, lights off. "I know I'm not sober right now, but I _don't_ think these are the bathrooms," Monica laughed, looking around.

Stuart laughed as well. "Private party room?" he guessed, looking around at the few tables set up around the small room, as well as a pool table in the middle.

"Why isn't anyone in here then?" Monica pulled away from him, looking around. "We should all come in here and have a private party!"

"Or," he followed her as she moved closer to the pool table. "_We_ could just have a private party?"

"Oh, yea?" She smiled as he placed one hand on each of her hips, slowly pulling her body towards his.

"Yea," he whispered back, returning her smile as he leaned in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling as he lifted her up, completely off the floor, and moved so that she was sitting on the edge of the pool table, all without breaking the kiss. "Well, that's, like, the smoothest move I've ever made," he pulled away briefly, still only inches from her face. "Wanna get out of here and end on a high note?" he added, and she laughed, shaking her head as she pulled him closer again. Monica leaned back, not realizing she was sitting on the edge of the table, and falling backwards in her alcohol-impaired stated. She grabbed for Stuart's shirt again, but not soon enough, as she fell completely backwards, hitting her head on the cold, hard table.

"Oh my god!" She touched the back of her head, not sure if she should laugh or cry. "What are these things made out of?"

"Slate," Stuart tried to contain his laugh, sitting on the table next to her.

"Well, that explains it," she frowned, lying down all the way, hand still to her head.

"You okay?"

"Yea, just give me a second," Monica nodded.

"One Mississippi," he counted, and then looked down at her with a smile.

"Well, aren't you just so clever," she smiled at him as she sat up slowly.

"I get cleverer as the shots add up," his smile grew wider as she moved next to him.

"Then how 'bout we go get some more of those," she nodded her head towards the door, grabbing his hand.

"How 'bout…we don't," he said softly, kissing her again. He moved his free hand, the one not entangled in hers, about to run it through her hair, but thought better of it since she had just bumped her head. Instead, he placed it on the back of her neck, deepening the kiss.

"I like your idea better," she whispered back before continuing the kiss, this time leaning back onto the table slower, Stuart leaning back as well. "What if someone comes in to kick us out?"

"What if they don't?" Stuart pulled back, hesitating at her hesitation. However, when she pulled on his shirt again, pulling him back down to her for another kiss, he found his encouragement not to stop….

~.~

"So," Chandler grinned as Monica and Stuart rejoined them after a significant amount of time, looking slightly disheveled. "Get lost on the way to the bathroom, did ya?" he laughed as they both avoided eye contact, Monica's face reddening as she looked at the floor. "Or just get…._distracted_?"

"Dude, I'm not sober, but she's still my sister," Ross groaned. "I _don't_ want to _know_ that!"

"Well, we're gonna go now," Monica pointed towards the door, still not making direct eye contact with either of the guys, and not even bothering to ask where Carol had gone off to. "See you guys later."

"It was nice meeting you two," Stuart added as Monica dragged him away from them and towards the door.

"It was nice to meet you, too," Chandler replied, and Ross added something mildly comprehensible, to which Chandler laughed. "Dude, let's find Carol and get out of here, too. I think the bartender's about to cut you off."

"Monica doesn't have sex, right? Little sisters don't do that," Ross made a face, getting up from the barstool.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, Ross," Chandler laughed, patting him on the shoulder as he stood beside him.

"You know the answer to that question, though."

"Carol has an older brother, right?" Chandler asked, to which Ross nodded. "And what do you think he thinks about her having sex?"

Ross frowned. "Well, now you just made me not want to have sex with her anymore!" Chandler again laughed, motioning to Carol, who was chatting with a group of girls in the corner, that they were leaving. She nodded, making her way to the door as well. Ross stopped suddenly, grabbing onto Chandler's arm. "Have you ever had sex with my sister?"

"Dude, we've done this before," Chandler shook his head, continuing to walk towards the door. "And, no. You know that."

"What does Ross know?" Carol asked, catching up to them.

"Ross doesn't want to know about his sister having sex," Ross made a face.

"Little sisters don't do that, apparently," Chandler explained to Carol as the three made their way outside.

"Hey, Ross, I'm a little sister," Carol grabbed his hand, laughing.

"Don't remind me," he groaned, pulling his hand back. Carol wrapped her arm around his waist as the three made their way back to the dorms for the last time.

"We should get him drunk more often," Carol laughed, and Chandler nodded. Despite himself, he smiled as they got to the front door of their building, recognizing the girl leaning against the wall smoking.

"Hey, you," she smiled as they got closer.

"Hey," Chandler replied as she offered him as drag of her cigarette. "Are you waiting for me?" The blonde shrugged.

"I'm leaving early tomorrow. I haven't seen you much this year…" she trailed off, and he nodded taking a drag of her cigarette before handing it back.

"Hey, is she a little sister?" Ross asked Carol, at little too loudly, prompting a confused look from the girl and a dirty look from Chandler.

"I'm just gonna get him upstairs," Carol nodded. "Later, Chandler."

"Night," he replied, watching them enter the building. "So, why are you stalking me?" he turned back to her, leaning against the wall.

She shrugged. "Graduation. Leaving tomorrow. Just…thinking about the past four years. Ya know, good things, regrets," she trailed off. "I felt bad about how I left things with you last year…"

"You mean, spending every single minute with me for a month, and then just blowing me off completely, even dropping the one class we had together?"

"Something like that," she agreed quietly, offering him the cigarette again. He shook his head, looking towards the ground. "I'm sorry about that," she whispered, looking towards him. He shrugged, still focused on the pavement. "Can you believe we graduated today?" she finally asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Hell no," he scoffed, reaching for her cigarette again. "I'm not ready to be a grown up yet!"

"No kidding," she motioned for him to keep the cigarette, taking another one out of her pack. "So, what are you doing for the rest of the night?"

Chandler laughed, shaking his head. "Something I'm most likely going to regret in the morning."

She smiled at him, though he was still facing straight ahead. "Yea?"

"Well, I have no willpower, so, most likely," he sighed, turning to face her. "Wanna go get a drink or something?"

"I just got back, actually…"

"Me, too," Chandler scuffed his foot on the ground. "Wanna go get a drink or something?" Laughing, she nodded, putting out her cigarette as he dropped his to the ground and stomped it out. "God, why did I let Ross talk me into taking Anthropology 101 as an elective last year?" Chandler sighed as she took his hand.

"Because if you hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to break your heart," she smiled, and he laughed out loud, remembering the bantering in class over a project that had prompted them to hang out in the first place the year before.

"Right," he nodded, still smiling. "You got anymore cigarettes?" he asked, motioning to her purse. She pulled out the pack, handing him another one. "Well, at least one good thing came from running into you tonight," he tried to hide his grin as he lit the cigarette, moving away as she tried to hit him with her purse. When he succeeded in moving away, she knocked the cigarette out of his hand in retaliation. "Hey, Miss Heartbreaker, what'd I ever do to you?"

She just shook her head, moving towards him. He moved in slowly as well, letting her kiss him softly. "Right," he pulled back. "Well, I have done that before, but I'm not so sure it warrants a hit, as well as removing my source of nicotine," he frowned, and she laughed, handing him another cigarette as she turned back towards the dorms, pulling him with her.

"Let's go do something we'll both regret in the morning."

~.~

"Guess who got a job?!" Chandler burst through the door to Monica and Phoebe's apartment on Monday evening, both girls turning to face him from their spot on the couch.

"Oh, I love guessing games!" Phoebe jumped up. "Oh, is it the kid across the hall? The crazy old guy downstairs? That, wizard-named friend of yours? Oh! That guy we met at the bar the other night?" Phoebe continued jumping. "There are just so many exciting possibilities! Don't leave me in suspense!"

Chandler laughed out loud at Phoebe's actions, though he had come to expect them in the past few months. "Um, this isn't going to sound very exciting compared to all of that, but…me."

"Oh! That's exciting, too!" she ran over to hug him. "Oh my god, is that what time it is?!" she said in shock, looking at the clock behind him. "I was supposed to be at work fifteen minutes ago!" She ran into her room, grabbing her shoes and running back out. "Do not let me be your example for how to act for a real job!" she shouted over her shoulder, running out of the apartment.

"So, do you think she calms down eventually, or she's just always like that?" Chandler laughed, sitting next to Monica.

"I think she's just like that," Monica laughed as well. "Congratulations on the big-kid job, mister suit-man," she nudged him, referring to the suit he was wearing.

"What on earth is so important that I need to be even later for work?!" Phoebe asked as Ross dragged her back into the apartment, Carol behind them.

"Guess what?!" Ross let go of her arm, taking Carol's hand.

"Oh, more guessing games!" Phoebe again jumped up and down, apparently forgetting about work. "You decided that the _Flintstones_ really could happen? They discovered another planet? Oh, oh-"

"Tell us quickly," Chandler cut her off. "This can be a very long game."

"We're engaged!" Carol exclaimed, holding up her left hand.

"Oh my god, you guys!" Monica jumped up, running over to the couple. "Congratulations!" she hugged Ross first. "We're gonna be sisters-in-law!" She moved on to Carol, who nodded, still grinning as Monica inspected her ring.

"Dude!" Chandler nudged Ross.

"We need to celebrate! Champagne!" Monica ran to the kitchen as Phoebe congratulated the couple. "Um…we have beer and champagne flutes," Monica grabbed the bottles of beer from the refrigerator as Chandler grabbed the glasses from the shelf. They quickly poured one for each of them, gathering around in a circle.

"Here's to-" Ross started, and was cut off by a bunch of groans.

"Not this again," Chandler mumbled.

"Here's to getting engaged, and graduating-"

"And getting a real job!" Monica added, nudging Chandler.

"Dude, you got the job?!"

"I got the job!" he grinned. "It's only a temp job, and it sounds boring, but it's in an office, and I get benefits! I don't even know what benefits I need, but it sure sounds exciting!"

Ross again raised his glass. "Here's to…being grown ups?"

"Do we _all_ have to classify ourselves as 'grown ups'?" Chandler asked, making air quotes around the word.

"Yea, I don't know how I feel about that," Phoebe agreed. "And I'm pretty sure you have to toast with champagne to officially be a grown up."

They all paused for a second, before Monica finally raised her glass. "Well, here's to at least _acting_ like grown ups!"

"Again, do we _all_ have to act like grown ups?" Chandler asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Here's to giving it our best shot," Carol raised her glass, and they all finally toasted to that.

"Here's to giving it our best shot!"

to

be

continued…

_And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the longest chapter I have EVER written! I meant for these events to happen over a few chapters, but…I wanted them all to happen that same weekend, so for the sake of not having 30 chapters when I end, I just had them all in here :) _

_Oh, and does everyone get who Stuart is? When I started this series, I just KNEW that he would be the one involved in the pool table incident, hehe. And, at one point in time, it is insinuated that Chandler is a virgin until he is 23 (can't tell you what episode…season 7, maybe?), but he also refers to having two girlfriends in college (both blonde, both not attractive. Also from season 7? I suck at episode titles), so….I think the first thing is crap, so I threw it out a few chapters ago with the mention of the rest of his condoms from freshman year still being in his drawer. _

_Mondler fans, don't murder me. This isn't AU, so, no, they will not be ending up together. I just feel like Monica and Chandler might have been really close, at some point in time, because their friendship always felt like it had some kind of back-story to it. I will still be focusing on them, though, I promise! I like writing them the most. Well, and Phoebe. And Ross is even growing on me, ha!_

_Anyway, review, please and thanks!_

_(PS…decided against the summer class, other than my lab. I need to have a life other than school in the summer. Going to college world series games, jet skiing at my fiancé's grandparent's cabin, not getting up at 6 every morning, and, ya know, having a social life in general, sound a lot more fun than being super stressed all summer. So, expect me to continue updating more frequently, hooray!)_


	10. August 1991

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 10

~.~

_Sorry for the delay! I blame real life getting in the way/slight writer's block with this chapter. The idea for this chapter came from watching a movie a month or so ago, which, if you don't know what it is from after reading this chapter, we're not talking anymore until you get up to speed on your '80's movies :) _

~.~

**August 1991**

"Dance with me," Monica practically ordered, grabbing Chandler by the arm and dragging him away from the two guys he was talking to at Ross and Carol's reception.

"What's up, Mon?" Chandler laughed in reply as he set his drink on a nearby table, wondering why her exciting-for-weddings mood had suddenly turned into a full-fledged freak out.

"Ugh, just my mother," Monica said through gritted teeth as Chandler wrapped his arms around her, obeying the request for dancing. "I'm 21. 21! That's not an age where I should be worried about finding someone to marry! I don't care! Well, not that I completely don't care about finding a guy who isn't a complete asshole and that I would like to spend some time with, but I don't need to be, like, finding a husband! I'm only 21. 21!"

"How old are you, Mon?" Chandler asked, pulling back slightly from Monica, to which he received a glare. "Just ignore your mom. She may possibly be a little bit crazy."

"Yea, you're telling me," Monica huffed, sighing as she lay her head against his chest as they moved in time with the music. "I just don't understand what her problem is. Although, she might have a point…"

"Which is?" Chandler asked, intrigued.

"Look at all of the guys I've dated since high school. Pretty much all assholes or all have something really weird wrong with them. Where are all of the good guys?" she asked rhetorically. "I mean, it's not like I'm looking for someone to marry tomorrow. It's not like I'm expecting some knight in shining armor to sweep me off my feet. It's not like I'm even expecting someone to stand outside of my window holding a boombox over their head playing my favorite song…"

"Which is good, because I'm not quite sure that all knights in shining armor are actually John Cusack characters underneath," Chandler laughed, but Monica just sighed, tightening her arms around his neck. "Oh, come on. You just said it yourself. What's the rush?" He squeezed her tighter in a hug.

"I don't know," she shook her head. "I'm just starting to question if good, not even good, but just decent guys exist."

"Hey, we do exist," Chandler shot back, and Monica smiled up at him.

"Yea, but you're Chandler."

"Really? I'm Chandler? That explains why people always call me that…"

"You know what I mean," Monica smiled at him.

"I don't know if I do," he added more seriously, and Monica squinted at him, trying to decide what he was getting at with that remark.

"Monica, dear," Judy suddenly interrupted their conversation. "There are all of these young, single men here, and you're just dancing with, well, Chandler?"

Monica's eyes widened as she started to pull away, but Chandler held onto her, not letting her go after her mother as Judy walked away. "You just excluded me from that group, too," he whispered, still holding her tightly.

"Well, I didn't mean it in a mean way," Monica said defensively. "I meant it as a compliment."

"Well, thanks, I guess," he laughed, smiling as the next song came on. Monica smiled as well, laughing under her breath at the memory. "You say you've cried a thousand rivers," he began singing softly, "and now you're swimming for the shore. You left me drowning in my tears, and you won't save me anymore," he started to pick up in volume. "Now I'm praying to god, you'll give me one more chance, girl!"

"Chandler-"

"'Cause, I'll be there for you, these five words I swear to you," he was now singing quite loudly, "When you breathe, I wanna be the air for you," he dropped her hands, placing his hands dramatically to his chest, "I'll be there for you!"

"Chandler, everyone is looking at us," Monica hissed, but he continued to ignore her, grinning as he continued to serenade her.

"I'd live and I'd die for you! Steal the sun from the sky for you! Words can't say what a love can do, I'll be there for you," Chandler finished, stopping singing at the end of the chorus, as the handful of other couples dancing around them clapped. "Thanks," he grinned, nodding at them before going after Monica, who was now walking away in embarrassment. "Hey, where ya going? I was just being all John Cusack…esque."

"Yea, well," Monica stopped, turning towards him. "You don't have a boombox," she said, trying to hide a smile as she still attempted to sound angry. "And he let Peter Gabriel do the singing. Maybe you should have just left it to Bon Jovi," she added, small smile playing on her lips, though she still sounded slightly mad.

"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled back. "Come dance with me some more," he grabbed her arm.

"I'm gonna go get a drink. They're about to do the bouquet toss and garter toss," Monica explained. "Want anything?" she offered.

"Another beer?"

"Kay," she smiled once more at him before walking away, laughing when she heard him continue to sing along to the song, though now slightly under his breathe. When she turned to give him a look, he immediately stopped, smiling in return.

~.~

Chandler looked up from where he was seated on the curb outside, trying to hide the cigarette he was smoking when he saw it was Monica who had just walked outside.

"I know you're smoking," she laughed, sitting down beside him. Chandler shrugged, taking another drag of the cigarette before putting it out.

"I guess we're supposed to get married now, or something like that," he teased, pointing to the bouquet in her hands, referring to the fact that she caught the bouquet and he caught the garter.

"In your dreams," Monica teased back.

"Oh, but very good dreams," he turned to her with a smile, and she leaned against his shoulder. "Can you believe Ross is married?"

Monica laughed, shaking her head. "God, no. I can't believe people we know are getting married. I don't think I'm enough of a grown up to know married people."

Chandler scoffed, "I _know_ I'm not enough of a grown up to know married people." When Monica shivered, he wrapped his arm around her, rubbing the goosebumps on her arm as they sat in comfortable silence, the occasional wedding guest wondering out on their way home.

"Hey, um, you know you are one of the good guys, right?" Monica finally broke the silence, referring to their earlier conversation.

"Which is why none of you girls want me. You guys always go for the assholes instead."

"Hey," Monica defended herself. "That's only…pretty much true…"

Chandler laughed, squeezing the arm he had been rubbing. "And, besides, I'm 'just Chandler,'" he pointed out.

Monica frowned for a moment, resting her head on his shoulder. "Well, is it okay if I claim you as _my_ Just Chandler?"

"Mmm," he thought for a moment, kissing her forehead, not sure if the current warm and fuzzy feelings were strictly from what she was saying, or a combination of that and the effects of a wedding with an open bar. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Eh," Monica shrugged, head still on his shoulder, enjoying the warm-fuzziness as well. "Chandler?" she asked, turning her head at the same time he did. Instead of answering, he kissed her, taking her hand on the back of his neck to mean that's exactly what she was wanting.

"Oh, Not-a-Boyfriend Chandler!" Phoebe exclaimed as she bounced out the door, Monica and Chandler immediately pulling apart. "It's been a while," she giggled, picking up the cup that was at Monica's feet. "Yea, as much as I enjoy Drunk Monica, I don't think you guys need anymore of this," she winked, dumping the contents of the cup out as the two sat, embarrassed and ashamed, looking like two teenagers who had just got caught by their parents doing much more than they had actually been doing. "So, wanna share a cab home?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two. "I'm gonna take the no answer to mean a yes. You have a purse, no?" she asked Monica, who managed a nod. "I'm gonna go get that. You two don't do anything you're gonna regret," she winked again. "Or, ya know, do, because you're both adults," she added, heading towards the door. "Or you are, at least," she motioned to Monica before going back inside.

Chandler looked at Monica, who was staring at her feet. "Hey," he whispered, but she shook her head, sighing. Chandler stood up, offering his hand to Monica, who let him help her up, still avoiding eye contact.

"You are one of the good guys," she finally whispered, still facing straight ahead.

"Yea, I know," Chandler replied as Phoebe again joined them, handing Monica her purse as the two girls walked towards the waiting cab. Chandler sighed, walking after them as Phoebe motioned back for him to follow. "Damnit, I know…"

~.~

_As I said, sorry for the delay with this! I went to a wedding this weekend, so I had sudden inspiration to finish it! _

_And, oh! We took engagement pics yesterday! Okay, so, you know the episode where Monica and Chandler take engagement pics? Yea, my fiancé is worse than Chandler with picture-taking. He won't freaking smile, haha. But, I think we got, ya know, two or three of him smiling out of a few hundred, so…yea. And I wanted to get him drunk first so he would be relaxed and smile, but he thought that people would judge him for drinking on a Sunday morning, lol. Anyway, enough of my life…_

_Review, please and thanks!_


	11. May 1992

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 11: May 1992

~.~

_This is the actual new part!_

_Okay, my bad on the delay in updating. I kinda skipped over an entire year when I had this story planned out, and I could have just gone with it, but, well, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and pretty dang stubborn and have a bit of a need to be right, so…yea. I realized, about a day after posting the last part, that I had skipped a year on my theoretical timeline. It angered me. And frustrated me to no end. And led to a lack of updating this for a couple of months while I tried to fix it. I hated everything I came up with to fill in that year, and none of it quite worked out in my head._

_So, problem solved, I added a chapter in-between. Still not completely satisfied, but it will have to do, and I really had to do something, because I really want this fic done so I can completely put my writing energy into something else. I also realize this skips over a lot of time in 1992, but, well…sorry. I want to move on, haha. Also, if you reviewed my previous chapter 11, logged in, it won't let you review again. You'll either have to go forward to chapter 12, or not log in. _

~.~

**May 1992**

Chandler came up the stairs to his apartment slowly after a long day at work. Some people might consider it a good day at work, or even a great day, but, no, not him. He got a promotion. He was no longer a temp, someone who could be replaced. He received a permanent position and a raise. Woo-freaking-hoo. It should have come as good news, but not to him, not at that job.

It was a good job. A stable job. It paid well. The benefits package was awesome. He understood what he was doing. Hell, he was good at what he was doing. He understood the numbers, the statistics. He also knew how to do just a hint more than enough to get by, and he knew how to do it in order to free up enough time to play games on his computer for a good third of his day.

So, although he had been offered a permanent job and a pay raise, he was not happy. He wanted that kick in the ass that would come with being let go, told he was no longer needed there. He wanted a kick in the ass so that he could go out and figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Because, while it was a stable job, and it was easy, that really wasn't enough. One could only spend so much of their free-time playing MineSweep and Solitaire.

"Goddanm permanent position and pay raise," he grumbled outloud as he reached their floor, heading towards apartment 19. However, he suddenly remembered the pack of cigarettes sitting outside on Monica's balcony. His day definitely called for cigarettes. He was celebrating, right?

Since her door was unlocked, he assumed either she or Phoebe was home, but no one was in site. This actually pleased him, since neither would be there to pester him about quitting smoking for good. He grinned, heading towards the balcony.

And then he found out where Monica was. And Bobby.

"Shit, sorry," he mumbled, face reddening as he hurried back towards the front door. While he would surely tease her about the incident later, he wasn't sure how to react at that moment, seeing the two out on the balcony, naked, in a position he would surely imagine Monica in for months every time he thought of her, obviously enjoying each others' company.

And he prayed Fun Bobby didn't have a second nickname of Angry Bobby. That thought didn't last long, though, as he then moved on to wonder if he could somehow get a girl over there with him, that use of the balcony having never crossed his mind before….

~.~

Monica looked up from the couch at the sound of a knock on the door. She snickered; no one ever knocked, especially when it was unlocked. Chandler must have found the nerve to come back, hours later.

"Hey," she smiled at him as she opened the door, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey," he smiled nervously. "I'm so, so, so sorry about…that…earlier."

"It's fine," Monica laughed. "What were you doing, though?" she asked as he walked in the apartment, crossing over to the balcony once again. "Chandler?" she said his name when he didn't answer, but instead went out onto the balcony.

"These," he leaned over picking up a pack of cigarettes that were in-between two flower pots," are mine." He placed the pack in his back pocket. "I won't be bugging you out here anymore," he added with a grin.

"Well, I'll make sure to lock the door from now on," Monica reassured him, "Not that **that's** ever going to happen again out here…"

"Why not?" Chandler asked, amused, as he leaned back against the wall, squinting as a piece of fabric hanging from the telephone pole caught his eye. It appeared to be a pair of underwear. He looked at it for a moment, then back to Monica, who was blushing at Chandler's discovery. "Really?" he asked, not even attempting to contain his laughter.

"If you tell anyone, you are **dead**," Monica crossed her arms, not finding the situation as amusing as Chandler. "I'm serious, Chandler!" she added when he continued laughing.

"Fine, I won't tell anyone," he held his hands up in defeat.

"How do I know that?" Monica asked, arms still crossed.

Chandler looked at her, trying to decide if she was being serious. "Because it's me?"

"Yea, but how do I know you won't make some joke about it?"

"Because you probably have about twelve of my secrets you could tell if I did tell anyone," Chandler smiled, still amused at how embarrassed she was. Bobby must have done a lot of convincing to get her to have sex out there.

Monica paused for a second, thinking. "Tell me what 'M' stands for," she finally said.

"What?"

"Chandler M. Bing. Tell me what your middle name is," Monica said firmly, and it was clear she was not about to give up on this.

"No one but my parents knows that. Ross doesn't even know that…"

"Exactly," Monica smiled. "You tell my secret, I'll tell your secret."

Chandler sighed, looking up at the underwear again in amusement before looking back to her. "Muriel," he sighed. "My middle name is Muriel."

"Thank you," Monica smiled before turning back towards the window, heading back inside. "Oh, and Chandler?" she added over her shoulder, quite smugly. "You really should quit smoking."


	12. NYE 1992 1993

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 12

_**Sorry…this is a repost of the previous Chapter 11. The actual new chapter is Chapter…well, Chapter 11. I skipped over a year in my timeline, and had to add a chapter in-between. Sorry for any confusion! **_

_I love how you people keep saying I'm spot on for the characters at this point in their lives…Well, that's because this is how old I am/where me and my friends are in our lives right now. So, this phase is pretty easy for me to write, seeing as I'm going through all of this right now, with the whole, everyone's graduating and getting married, and trying to figure out what the hell we're doing with our lives/scared to death of being a "grown up." The past week or so, I've pretty much been freaking out about ALL of that, and add grad school into the mix, and…yea, I've been a mess the past week or so, haha. Know who helped calm down some of my fears, though, and re-affirm that it's not just me going through all of this right now? Becca!_

_Oh, the more things change, the more that stays the same…_

~.~

**New Year's Eve 1992/1993**

"Sorry to take off on you guys, but I really need to get back down to the bar before midnight," Chris, the owner of the bar downstairs patted Phoebe on the shoulder as he stood up from the kitchen table, leaving her seated next to Chandler as Monica walked up.

"I'll come down later," Phoebe winked at him as he left, and Chandler waved as well. "Well, there goes my midnight New Year's kiss," Phoebe sighed, leaning her elbows on the table as she glanced at the clock, which read 11:56.

"And, here goes yours, too," Monica nudged Chandler as she sat down beside him momentarily. He looked at her quizzically. "I think something is finally happening with Kip tonight," she grinned.

"Yay, about time!" Phoebe congratulated her.

"No kidding," Chandler added. "You've only liked each other for the past, like, year and a half that I've lived with him, and who knows how long before that…"

"Shut up!" she smacked him lightly before looking back up at Kip, who was in the living room talking to a couple of her friends from work. "Oh, he's looking at me," she grinned, "And smiling. Okay, I'm going back over there," she stood up.

"Go get some!" Phoebe urged her on.

"Phoebs!" Monica laughed, glaring at her for a moment before going back to the living room, smiling when Kip looked up at her once again.

"Looks like it's just us, Bing," Phoebe patted Chandler's arm. "What happened to that girl from last night, by the way? Why didn't you invite her tonight?"

Chandler chuckled, taking a quick drink of the beer in his hand. "Oh, Jaqueline? Well, let's just say, I know everything about every single one of her ex's, including weird fetishes and shoe sizes, and can name all seven, yes, _seven_ of her cats…"

Phoebe stifled a giggle "And you didn't want her to come why?"

"Ya know, I'm just not that desperate yet," Chandler laughed as well, shaking his head. "So, what about you and Chris?"

"Oh, we're just really good friends," Phoebe grinned. "He comes in handy," she shrugged. "I'm okay with it not going beyond this, though. He's fun."

"Do-" Chandler began, but was cut off when the party all seemed to start counting down from ten. "Must be midnight," Chandler leaned closer to Phoebe, who nodded, looking around as the countdown closed in on one, and everyone seemed to suddenly be half of a couple.

Turning back to Chandler, who was still looking at her, Phoebe shrugged. "Eh, why not," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him as everyone else around them kissed as well. "Happy New Year, Not-a-Boyfriend Chandler," she grinned as she pulled back from the quick kiss.

"Happy New Year, Phoebs," Chandler laughed, shaking his head at the nickname. "Is that ever gonna go away, by the way?"

"Eh," she again shrugged.

"Because, as nice as the sentiment is, it's really not that great for my self-esteem to be constantly reminded that I don't, in fact, have a girlfriend," he added, mostly joking.

"What self-esteem?"

"Touché," Chandler nodded, clicking the empty beer bottle in his hand to her nearly-empty glass.

"Your wit has met its match, Chandler Bing," Phoebe grinned, grabbing the bottle from his hand as she stood up. "Want another one?" she offered, to which he nodded. She grabbed two more from the fridge before sitting down next to him once again. "1993 is gonna be a _great_ year. I can just _feel_ it," Phoebe nodded, looking around.

"Because of the psychic thing?" Chandler looked at her, never knowing exactly what was running through Phoebe's head. In the past year, he had learned it was much easier to just ask her than to try to guess.

"Nah. More of just a gut feeling. I have great intuition," Phoebe explained, and Chandler nodded along, watching from the corner of his eye as Kip left with Monica. "You, Mr. Bing, have a very green aura tonight," Phoebe added, tapping the bottom of her beer on his arm. He jumped at the coldness, turning back to her. "Is someone jealous?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Why would I be jealous?" he looked at her quizzically.

"Oh, I don't know, your roommate just left with your best friend?" Phoebe asked, and Chandler just shrugged. "Oh, come on. I didn't mean it like you're in love with Monica or something. But she's obviously one of the most important people in your life, and Kip's pretty high up there for you right now, too, so that can't be easy." Chandler sighed as Phoebe continued, picking at the label on the beer bottle. "Anyway, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to Monica. She'll be in your life forever."

"Intuition?"

"Psychic ability."

"Ah," Chandler laughed. Leave it to Phoebe. "Well, mind if I crash on your couch tonight? Our walls are pretty thin, and that would just be…too weird," he shook his head at the thought of Monica and Kip.

"Yea, go for it," Phoebe agreed. "I'm gonna head down and meet up with Chris after he closes up the bar anyway."

"Awesome," Chandler laughed. "New Year's Eve alone!"

"Yea, but at least you got to kiss me tonight," Phoebe winked at him, standing up to say goodbye as people started to leave.

"You're pretty high up on my list right now, too, Phoebs," Chandler added as she started to walk away.

"Oh, I know," she patted him on the head. "And you're like the little brother I never had."

~.~

Chandler stirred from his spot on the couch when the door closed softly. He rolled over slightly, frowning at the uncomfortable pillow beneath his head. Sighing, he opened his eyes, blue eyes meeting blue eyes as Monica was standing behind the couch now, looking at him.

"Sorry," she whispered. "For waking you up…and for kicking you out of your apartment…"

"Don't worry about it," Chandler reassured her. Monica just nodded, heading towards her room. "Hey, Mon?" Chandler asked, sitting up on the couch. Monica stopped, turning back to face him. "Are you happy?"

Monica grinned. "Yea. Yea, I am."

"Then don't worry about it," he returned her smile, watching as she turned once again towards her bedroom, laying back down as she closed the door behind her.

~.~

_This was more of a filler chapter than anything. The next two parts are MUCH more substantial. We're getting there, though, promise! It's 1993 and this is only going to 1994! Are you as excited as I am?! _

_**I promise, promise, promise this is where my fic-writing energy is going until it's finished! And a lot will happen in 1993/1994, promise!**_


	13. July 1993

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 13: July 1993

_Thanks for the reviews/favorite and alert adds! Kinda make my day. I was going to smush this chapter and the next one together, since they take place about a month apart, but it just didn't flow well that way. So, expect another update very soon. If you're smart, you can probably guess what it will be. If not, you will just have to wait and see, won't you :)_

~.~

**July 1993**

~.~

"Mon?" Chandler knocked softly on her bedroom door. When she opened the door a moment later, wearing sweat pants and a tshirt, he forced a smile. "He's gone."

Monica nodded, walking past him and over to the couch. "He," of course, referred to Kip. It had been almost six weeks since they'd broken up, and it had been a very long, messy six weeks. Their front doors being about three steps apart didn't help matters. Really, it was a wonder they made it almost six months together. While being friends worked for the two, and the year they spent flirting even worked, they were complete opposites in nearly every aspect of life. From Monica being a clean-freak to Kip not being a slob, but just being a twenty-something guy who didn't put cleaning high on his list of priorities, to Monica wanting to at least talk about the possibility of the future, and Kip being deadset on being a bachelor for sometime to come, it had become clear that dating didn't work. Mainly, because there was one thing they had in common: a need to be in control.

While they were dating, it had led to many arguments, both of them always needing to make the decisions and have the last word, voices raised. And then, after they broke up, they tried for almost a week to still hang out as a group, to go back to how it had been before they started dating, but they just couldn't take it. It was Phoebe, of all people, who finally said that them staying "friends" (which they were far from being after breaking up) was not working, and they needed to do something else. They all promised to keep hanging out, because they truthfully had become good friends with Kip as well over the past couple of years. But with Ross being Monica's brother, and Phoebe her roommate, it hadn't lasted long. And though Chandler had become quite close with Kip over the past couple of years living with him, he wasn't about to give up his friendship with Monica for him. He'd struggled the longest, trying not to pick sides, but it became inevitable when the two couldn't be in the same room together.

Kip left an envelope with his share of two months' worth of rent sitting on the kitchen table, and not much else of a goodbye for anyone. And he took the freaking hibachi. That would teach Chandler to go halvsies with a roommate on anything ever again. The way they all left things with Kip, though, he really didn't deserve the second month's worth of rent he had left. And none of them really deserved much more of a goodbye than that.

"I'm sorry," Monica sighed, sitting on the couch. "This isn't how I wanted this to end…"

"It's not your fault," Chandler followed, sitting beside her.

Monica shook her head. "It kind of is. And I just feel so horrible, like I'm as horrible as he makes me out to be. Because I not only took all of our friends away from him, I also kicked him out of his apartment, which he lived in before me!"

"You didn't kick him out. He left. He made the decision to."

"Yea, but he wouldn't have if it wasn't for me. I mean, everyone promised to stay friends with him after we broke up, and after, what, a week, everyone was avoiding him by way of hanging out with me, because I was so busy avoiding him," Monica again sighed. "It just really sucks. A lot."

"It does suck a lot," Chandler agreed, gently touching her shoulder. "I think it's probably for the best, though. I mean, you couldn't just avoid leaving here forever because you were afraid you might run into him in the hall."

"Worked for a few weeks," Monica sighed, leaning her head against Chandler's shoulder. He touched the back of her head, giving her a slight smile. "Sorry for making your roommate move out," she apologized, glancing up at him.

"Roommate, smoommate. It's New York City; roommates are a dime a dozen."

"As are freaks and weirdos," Monica pointed out, and Chandler just shrugged. "I am sorry, though. In all seriousness. I know he was your friend, too."

"I know," Chandler smiled. "However, I've known him, what, two years? You, on the other hand, have known me through all of my college awesomeness. So, really, I can't get rid of you, because you know, oh, about ninety-nine percent of my embarrassing secrets."

"Just ninety-nine percent of them?" Monica teased.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out the other one percent in time," Chandler grinned, turning around as the door opened.

"Hey," Ross greeted them with a sigh.

"Carol still not talking to you?" Chandler asked as Ross walked into the living room, sitting down in the chair.

Ross shook his head. "No! And that's the worst part! I don't even know what I did wrong. Or am doing wrong. I mean, up until a couple of months ago, I thought we were great. We've always been happy," he paused, looking at Monica. "We have been happy, right? That's not just in my head?"

"I thought so," Monica nodded.

"Has she said anything to you?" Ross almost pleaded. "I mean, I know I've been busy with grad school the last couple of years, but we've always been fine, so I don't see why it would cause this sudden change in our relationship…."

"Sorry," Monica shook her head apologetically. "I haven't really seen her lately, even."

"Awesome," Ross sighed again.

"Hi!" Phoebe ran in the door, the other three greeting her with much less enthusiasm. "Okay, you guys seriously need to get out of this apartment. Oh, oh! Let's go down to the bar! Kip is gone, so we don't have to worry about running into him anymore, yay!" she jumped up and down, over-excited. "Oh, this is a _great_ day!" she paused, looking at Monica. "Not to be a completely inconsiderate bitch. But now, we can go to the bar again because we're not avoiding him! Yay!"

"I'm not really in a going out kinda mood," Ross wrinkled his forehead.

"Is sitting here pouting going to make your wife sleep with you?"

"Phoebe," Monica looked at her.

"I'm just saying! Come on, you guys! We haven't just gone out in forever," Phoebe looked back and forth between Chandler and Monica on the couch, and Ross in the chair. "Sulking at home," Phoebe held up her left hand, "beer," she held up her right.

"I could go for some beer," Chandler nodded.

"Me, too," Monica agreed. "Let me change first," she got up and headed to her room.

"Ross?" Phoebe looked at Ross, who sighed again.

"I really shouldn't. I have another draft of my paper due next week that I really should be working on…"

"Every party has a pooper, and that's why we invited you," Phoebe walked over to him, singing, "party pooper, party pooper! Every party has a pooper, and that's why we invited you. Party po-"

"I'll go," Ross stood up, stopping her. "As long as you stop singing, I'll go."

"Oh, yay!" Phoebe jumped up and down. "I just need to change!" she ran into her room. "Yea, my clothes aren't really here anymore," she whispered to the boys, who both knew she was in the process of moving out of Monica's. "Probably not the best time to tell her though, right?" she asked, and both Ross and Chandler fiercely shook their heads. "Right."

~.~

"Hey," Monica turned around as she and Chandler reached the hallway between their apartments, noticing Phoebe had suddenly disappeared. "Where did Phoebe go?"

"She said she had to go over to her grandmother's. She wanted her to come check on her or something," Chandler said, hating lying to her, but repeating what Phoebe had said before she left. It was the half-truth, and he knew the whole-truth would probably crush her right now.

"At 2 AM? Weird," Monica nodded, unlocked her door. "I guess she has to get it from somewhere."

"Very true," Chandler laughed.

"Want one?" Monica walked over to the refrigerator, offering him a beer as she took one for herself. "I have a good buzz going right now," she explained with a smile, "don't wanna kill it yet."

"Why not," he took the bottle she offered, flopping down on the couch. "Wanna watch some awesome infomercials?"

"Is there anything better to watch at 2 AM?" Monica laughed, sitting down beside him. "Coaster?" she asked as Chandler set his drink down on the table beside the couch.

"Already used one!" Chandler replied proudly, stretching out so that he was now lying down.

"That's why I love you," Monica smiled, moving with him so that she was lying in front of him. "I know I said it before, but I really am sorry. About Kip. Like, making you choose between us."

"Mon, you didn't make me do anything."

"But-"

"No, you didn't _make_ me do anything. I could have still hung out with him. I could have stayed friends with him. Hell, I lived with him."

"But-" she turned around on the couch, now lying facing him.

"Stop it," he cut her off, holding his hand up to her mouth, raising his eyebrows. She opened her mouth again as soon as he removed his hand, but then shut it without saying anything. "And, just for the record," he said quietly. "I don't think there are very many people in the world who I would choose over you."

"So, who _would_ those people consist of?" Monica asked, half playing, but half serious, her fingers playing with the bottom of his shirt. Chandler just laughed. "Phoebe?" she asked, and Chandler shook his head. "Your mom?"

"Right," Chandler laughed outloud.

"Ross?"

"I can't answer that," Chandler shook his head, grinning at her. "Well, I don't know. I mean, I always say Ross is my best friend, but that's, like, my on-paper response. Like if someone asks what your favorite color is, you have a response ready. I always say mine is blue, but, really, I'm kinda partial to orange. And, I always think, yea, Ross is my best friend, but really-"

"Chandler?"

"Hm?" he paused.

"Nothing, just stopping the rambling," she smiled at him.

"Yea, kinda necessary from time to time," he agreed, touching her bare shoulder beneath her tank-top, causing her to shiver. "Sorry," he whispered, and she shrugged, smiling in return. "Yea, I'd pick you over Ross," he said softly, smiling at her as he ran his fingers across her collarbone, then up to her chin, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

"This is scratchy," Monica touched his goatee, still smiling at him. Her hand lingered on his chin, her other hand still on the bottom of his shirt, eyes locked with his.

He knew that look. They were both more than just slightly intoxicated, and he knew that look from her. He usually tried not to act on that look. But, god, he knew that look.

And a second later, her lips were on his, or his were on hers, he really wasn't sure who initiated the kiss. It was slow, though. Slow and drawn out. His hand was beneath her shirt on her lower back, hers still clutching the front of his shirt, the other on the back of his neck.

And more long, slow kissing. They hadn't made out in years. There had been a couple of kisses, but nothing like this. Nothing like their drunken hook-up from college. This wasn't like that, though.

And now her hands were on bare skin, too, under his shirt, running across his chest to his back. And she was pressed up against him completely, legs entangled with his, as close as physically possible.

And the kissing. Was it only so good because she was someone he probably shouldn't be kissing? Her hands were in his hair now, as he ran one hand across her smooth stomach, attempting to answer the million-dollar question: where was this going? He ran his hand quickly across the top of her jeans, playing with the button for a moment before moving it back across her stomach to her back, pulling her closer again.

"Mm, Chandler?" she whispered, pulling back for a second. Oh, there was the answer to that question…

"Hm?" he responded, kissing her again, meeting no resistance. If she wanted him to stop, and she wasn't going to stop it, she at least needed to say the word.

"Chandler?" she repeated. Still a question, not a statement.

"You're gonna actually have to say it, Mon," he replied, kissing her yet again. And she let him, wrapping her arms around him as he pulled her closer, knowing it wasn't going any further and was almost over. Slow kisses still, though, not hurried. Oh, that's what was killing him. Slow but passionate. She really needed to stop if they were stopping. He didn't have the will power. He could do this all night. Although he would really prefer it going further, he could definitely lay there with her all night, just kissing and touching.

"We-I-we," Monica stuttered, pulling back, out of breath. "We can't."

"I know," Chandler whispered back, breathing heavily as well, brushing his hand across her forehead to move the hair off of her face.

"We can't," Monica repeated, as much to herself as it was to him. "I just, I can't-I can't lose you. I can't take that chance."

"I know," Chandler agreed, loosening his arms, though they were still around her. "I know…"

"No more kissing me," Monica said with feigned anger though a slight smile played on her lips. "At all."

"Then, no more looking at me like you want me to kiss you," Chandler returned her smile. They were still lying down, arms and legs entangled.

"Deal," she nodded, but still didn't move. "I should go to bed," Monica trailed off.

"Yea, I should probably go," Chandler nodded, knowing that staying in that compromising position wasn't making it any easier for him to keep the promise he had just made. "By the way, if I can't make out with you any more, I _might_ need to retract my answer to that last question…"

"Jerk," she lightly smacked his chest, disentangling her legs from his as she stood up.

"'Night, Mon," Chandler grinned at her as she walked away, sitting up sleepily on the couch.

Monica shook her head at him, turning around momentarily before walking into her room. "Night, Chandler."

~.~

_Well, that should please you Mondler fans who keep saying "I want a mondler hookup!" lol. However, I'm not going completely off-canon with this series, and they will not end up together (yet)…I'm stopping at the pilot episode. However, I'm thinking of doing a second series of pre-Mondler moments once I'm done with this, which should please all of you whining Mondler fans, hehe ;) _

_Anywho, please review! I think there's only, like, three or so parts left, yay!_


	14. August 1993

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 14: August 1993

_Uh….I didn't forget about this one. I'm just going through an anti-Mondler phase that's making it REALY hard to finish this. This chapter has been written for, urm, months (literally…the last time I opened it was October), but I wanted to add to it, but…I really don't see that happening, and seeing as I only have a couple of chapters planned for after this one, I figured I'd might as well post this and get on with it. It's not as long as I intended, but a little update is better than none, right? Right? I'm gonna go with it is…._

~.~

**August 1993**

~.~

"And that one would be your bedroom," Chandler finished the short tour of the apartment to yet another potential roommate. He had been looking for the past month, and the people just kept getting worse and worse. He was about to just pick one before he could see how much weirder these people responding to his ad could get.

"Okay, so what's your building's policy on pets?" the man standing in front of Chandler asked, and Chandler struggled to remember his name. Kevin? Mark? It was one syllable. And there was a "k" somewhere in it. Karl?

"No pets," Chandler shook his head fiercely.

"Well, what about ferrets?" he asked again. "I mean, they're little. You can keep 'em in a cage and just hide 'em in your coat if you take 'em outside. And it's just three or four of 'em," the guy shrugged, and Chandler struggled inwardly not to shove him out of his apartment at that moment.

"No pets," Chandler repeated. "I'm meeting a couple of other guys later this week, but I'll let you know," he forced a smile, walking towards the door.

"Oh, but will you check out the policy about ferrets? Some places have a policy that just applies to cats and dogs," the potential roommate asked as he walked out the door. Chandler just nodded, closing the door behind him. He walked over to the kitchen counter, taking a drink from his glass of water as he pressed the "play" button on the blinking answering machine.

"Hey, Chandler Bing! BING!" the voice of another person he had shown the apartment to earlier in the week rang from the machine. It was Greg, the guy who had enjoyed his name so much, he made a "bing" noise every time he said it. "I was just wondering if you made a decision yet, since I'm looking at a couple other places later this week, but would really love living with you Chandler Bing. BING! If-" Chandler hit the erase button, not needing to hear the end of the message.

"Freak," he mumbled, heading towards the door, deciding to take a break and go over to Monica and Phoebe's. "Hey," he greeted Ross and Phoebe.

"Hey," Ross replied.

"I'm never gonna find a roommate. Ever," he sighed, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Why, nobody good?" Phoebe asked, concerned.

"Well let's see, there was the guy with the ferrets, that's plural. The spitter. Oh-ho, and yes, the guy that enjoyed my name so much he felt the need to make a little noise every time he said it. Nice to meet you, Chandler Bing, _Bing_! Great apartment Chandler Bing, _Bing_!"

"So how many more do you have tomorrow?" Ross asked.

"Two. This photographer, who seemed really dull. And this actor guy, who I'm not sure about, because when he called and I answered the phone 'Chandler Bing,' he said 'Whoa-hoa, short message.'"

~.~

"So, we were together for, like, three years, and I haven't really wanted to be with someone like that again," Joey shrugged. "I mean, I want to _be_ with women," Joey grinned suggestively, "but I don't want to like, fall in love and all that stuff again right now, ya know?" Joey paused, turning back to the television. "Oh, they're running again!"

Chandler stared at _Baywatch_ on the television screen, taking the beer that Joey had handed to him from the cooler beside the couch, suddenly glad that Eric, the roommate he had finally decided on, hadn't shown up. Although his sister was a porn star and he was a photographer with models hanging around all the time, he still seemed like a rather dull person. Joey, on the other hand, although this was the longest amount of time he'd spent with him, seemed to be anything but that.

"That's the last one, by the way," Joey added, referring to the beer.

"Oh! I'll go grab some from Monica, then," Chandler moved to stand up.

"She'll be okay with that?" Joey wrinkled his forehead, not understanding whatever the dynamic was between the two from the little interaction he'd had with them so far.

"Yep, I do it all the time," Chandler nodded. "I'll be right back," he added over his shoulder as he walked out the door. "Well, hello," he smiled at Monica as he entered her apartment, to find her leaving the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel.

"Hey," she replied, much less enthusiastically, as Chandler made his way over to her refrigerator.

"Do you have any beers? We're out of beers," he continued.

"Yea, help yourself," Monica added with a sigh.

"You…okay?" Chandler asked slowly off of her tone.

"Phoebe moved out," Monica sighed.

"Right," Chandler nodded, taking a step towards her.

"I don't understand," Monica continued, "I mean, am I so hard to live with? Is this why I don't have a boyfriend?"

"No! You don't have a boyfriend because," Chandler trailed off, unsure of how to answer that, as he moved closer to her. "I…don't know why you don't have a boyfriend. You should have a boyfriend."

"Well, I think so," Monica added, close to tears.

"Oh, come here," Chandler pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Listen, you are one of my favorite people. And, the most beautiful woman I've ever known in real life," he added, to which she hugged him tighter, resting her head against his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his breathing steady and hoping she couldn't tell just how fast his heart was beating or how excited he was becoming at their close contact. However, she was wearing only a towel, so it was kind of her fault. And he had been watching _Baywatch_ for the past hour. And drinking beer. Thank god they had run out of beer so he hadn't had anymore. One or two more, and he would probably have said fuck self-control and thrown her down on the couch, ripping that towel right off of her.

Running his hand up and down her back, he tried to slow his breathing. He wanted to kiss her. God, did he want to kiss her. The combination of her hot, wet skin and the smell of her shampoo, and the seeming intimacy of the hug…

God, he wanted to kiss her.

He had promised _not_ to kiss her.

"Umm, this is nice," he finally let slip, and it was too late to take it back.

"I know, it is, isn't it?" Monica replied dreamily, and if he hadn't promised her less than a month ago that he wouldn't kiss her again, he would have without a second thought. But she was upset. Phoebe had moved out, and she was upset. She hadn't been on a date since Kip had left. She didn't need him to kiss her. She needed him to be her friend.

"I mean it, this feels really nice," Chandler continued, having made his decision. "It is a hundred percent cotton?"

"Yea, and I got it on sale, too!" Monica laughed as she pulled back, glad that he had broken the moment with a joke. Though part of her was reveling in the moment, it was probably best that it ended that way before it ended another way.

"Anyway, I should go," Chandler continued. "One of the lifeguards was about to dismantle a nuclear device…"

"Well, if you wanna get a drink later, we can."

"Yea, that sounds great," Chandler smiled as her as he moved to leave. "Oh, and listen, it's gonna be…"

"I know," Monica smiled in return. "Thanks."

~.~

_I had originally planned on, well, basically retelling the majority of the flashback episode with more explanations added in, but we all know that episode well and don't need it retold. I just really wanted that scene and why it didn't go further. Anyway, reviews are appreciated, and I will try really REALLY hard to actually finish this…if anyone is even still reading it, haha._


	15. February 1994

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 15: February 1994

~.~

_Oh, that's right; we're to 1994, a woo-hoo! There will be two more parts after this, I do believe. Sorry this fic is taking so long to write…I have no excuses. Well, other than a bit of a writer's block. And me being on my Randler kick. And being busy in real life. Hopefully I can wrap it up soon, though. Pretty sure I've lost a lot of people on this one since it's taking forever and a day. My bad :)_

~.~

"Hey, Mon," Chandler greeted Monica as he walked into her apartment to find her sitting on the couch painting her nails.

"Hey."

"Do you, by any chance, have plans for tonight?" he asked as he sat down, referring to the fact that it was Valentine's Day.

"By asking that, are you assuming I don't?" she asked, offended.

"Not assuming anything," he shook his head fiercely in defense. "Just asking."

Monica continued painting her nails, not looking up at him. "Then, no, I don't have any plans."

Chandler watched her for a moment, thinking carefully, as he was trying not to offend her now that she had obviously been offended by the question. "Do you wanna do something later, then? I mean, we don't have to, but Joey has a date, and so does Phoebe, and I think Ross is off pouting somewhere about this being his first Valentine's Day alone in however long, and we never really get to spend any time together, alone together, anymore, and-"

"Chandler?"

"Hm?"

"Just stopping the rambling," she smiled at him. "What do you want to do?" she asked, twisting the top back on to her nail polish as she set it on the table, blowing on her nails in an attempt to dry them faster.

"Maybe grab some Chinese food? A couple of movies?"

"Sure," Monica nodded.

"'Kay," Chandler grinned, standing up. "I'll see you later, then," he added, walking out the door.

~.~

"So, which movie should we watch first?" Chandler asked, pulling the two movies out of the sack as Monica grabbed a couple of plates out of his cupboard and opened the cartons of take-out.

"_Pretty Woman_ first?" Monica offered, heading over to the couch with her food.

Chandler took that movie out of the case, but then turned to look at her. "Wait, if we watch your movie first, you're gonna fall asleep like ten minutes into _Die Hard_."

Monica shrugged. "Too bad you already agreed then," she smiled at him as he sat beside her on the couch, his own plate of food in hand.

When the front door opened an hour later, both Monica and Chandler looked up, not having expected Joey to come back that night.

"Hey, Joe."

"Hey."

"Hey, guys, this is Hayley," he motioned to the girl he was with. "The bathroom's right over there," he pointed it out to her, and she thanked him before heading over to it, as Joey moved towards Chandler. "Can I talk to you for a second, man?"

"Sure," Chandler stood up, and the two moved into the kitchen.

"So, um, Monica lives right there," he pointed out the door, "alone, right?"

"Right," Chandler answered slowly, and Joey continued staring at Chandler in frustration. "Hey, Mon, why don't we go over to your place and finish the movie?" he called out across the room, though he was still looking at Joey.

"Thanks, man," Joey patted him on the shoulder. "At least one of us needs to get some tonight, ya know?" Chandler glared in return, but Joey either didn't notice or ignored it. "Oh, hey, can you leave the leftovers?" he asked Monica as she reached for the cartons of food still on the counter. Monica shrugged and left them there, figuring he would probably be the one to eat them anyway since Chandler's habit of occasionally taking things from her refrigerator had turned into Joey's habit of raiding her fridge on a daily basis. "Oh, and the wine?" he added as Chandler grabbed the bottle of wine that was on the counter, but Chandler shook his head, following Monica out the door and across the hall to her apartment.

Half an hour and half a bottle of wine later, Chandler and Monica were both sitting on the loveseat at Monica's, finishing up the movie. When the door opened, they both turned to see who it was.

"Oh, good, you guys didn't have any plans tonight, either," Ross sighed in relief, and Monica and Chandler both looked at each other before turning back to the movie. "It sucks, I haven't spent a Valentine's Day alone since high school," Ross continued, seeing the bottle of wine on the table and grabbing a glass out of the cupboard before helping himself. "And we're not even legally divorced yet. Carol should be spending tonight with me, not with _Susan_," Ross spat out bitterly.

"Dude, she likes girls. I don't think you can do anything to fix it. You need to move on, man," Chandler pointed out, starting to get tired of Ross whining about his breakup with Carol. Yes, they had been together for five years, but they had also ended six months earlier. Six months of Ross whining (more than usual) was a lot to take.

"Yea, but doesn't a relationship get a period of mourning before moving on to someone else? Doesn't what we had deserve at least that?" Ross paused, watching the screen. "Ooh, this is the best part!" he exclaimed, sitting on the couch. "I would so climb up a fire escape for Julia Roberts."

"Du-ude, I've never seen this before!"

"How have you never seen _Pretty Woman_?" Ross asked in disbelief, but they both stopped talking when Monica turned towards them, giving a stern look.

"Okay, I don't know what's worse, the fact that you know the movie by heart," she nodded towards Ross, "or the fact that you care he just ruined the ending for you," she looked at Chandler. "Either way, both of you, shh. There's like five minutes left."

"Ooh, good you're home!" Phoebe opened the door, bouncing across the kitchen. "Oh, I love this movie! Climb, Richard Gere, climb!"

"Who's talking through the movie now," Ross grumbled, arms crossed, causing Monica to glare at him.

"Oh, Mon, hey, can I, um, borrow your razor? My date tonight is going a lo-ot better than I expected, and I haven't shaved my legs in like a week, and your place was so much closer than mine, and he's downstairs ordering us coffee, so…."

"Go for it," Monica laughed.

"Thanks," Phoebe grinned, turning towards the bathroom, but stopping suddenly at the scene in front of her. "Hey, Ross, can I ask you something?"

"Yea."

"Over here?" she nodded away from the living room.

Ross got up, walking over to where Phoebe was standing. "What's up?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, none of us had plans tonight, so we're watching a movie," he motioned towards the screen.

"No, _you_ didn't have plans tonight," she corrected him. "I think this was their plans for tonight," she nodded towards the loveseat, where Monica was cuddled up beside Chandler.

Ross scoffed. "Right."

"Hm, let's see, two movies," she pointed to the two movies cases beside the TV, "one guy movie and one girl movie. Two glasses of wine," she pointed to the table, "and two of them." Phoebe watched as Ross's face turned from disbelief to what seemed to borderline on anger. "No, not like that," Phoebe laughed. "They just used to hang out together a lot, and since Joey moved in, they don't. So, I'm pretty sure _this_ was their plans for tonight," she explained. "And I know it sucks that you're going through a divorce right now, but I'm also pretty sure you're interrupting their alone time, which kind of sucks for them. Just something to think about," she finished, heading into the bathroom before he could respond to that.

Ross stood in place for a moment, thinking, before heading towards the door. "Hey, um, I just remembered something I was supposed to do tonight," he grabbed his jacket that he had thrown across the back of the couch. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"'Night, Ross," Monica called out as he left.

"Bye."

"You're welcome," Phoebe smiled as she came out of the bathroom, referring to the fact that Ross was now gone.

"Did you really just shave that fast?" Monica asked in disbelief as she stood up to put in the next movie.

"Yuh-huh. And the razor burn is already starting to sting like a bitch, so hopefully it was worth it," she grinned. "Anyway, see you guys tomorrow. Thanks, Mon."

"No problem."

"Bye, Phoebs," Chandler said as she left. "I think Phoebe's smarter than she get credit for."

"I really don't think it's a question of intelligence," Monica shook her head, sitting back down beside him. "I think it's more that she lives in her own little Phoebe World."

"Yea, I don't know that Phoebe World is somewhere I'd ever want to go," Chandler laughed as _Die Hard_ started.

"So, do I get to talk through your movie, since you talked through mine?"

"Shh, woman, it's starting!" Monica laughed, shaking her head as he turned up the volume.

Ten minutes later, just as predicted, Monica was already asleep. Chandler smiled, knowing that was exactly what would happen if they watched her movie first. After turning the volume back down on the TV, he leaned over, trying not to wake her up, and grabbed the blanket that was on the couch. As he moved back and covered her with the blanket, she snuggled closer to him, and Chandler kissed the top of her head as he tightened his arms around her as well. Turning his attention back to the movie on the screen, he smiled, thinking that, at that moment, there were few ways he would rather be spending Valentine's Day.

~.~

_I thought some attention needed to be given to the fact that, kind of going by the flashback episode, Monica and Chandler had been pretty close and hung out a lot, but after Joey moved in, we get more of the Joey-Chandler relationship, so…there had to be a shift in there somewhere. Or that's how I see it anyway._

_Anyway, if anyone is still out there reading, please leave some reviews :) I don't usually ask/plead, I usually just say thanks for the ones I'm getting (umm, this fic has over 100, so I'm probably being greedy, heh), but, well…I need some motivation to finish this, because we're SO CLOSE! So, reviews would be wonderful and much appreciated :)_


	16. July 1994

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 16: July 1994

~.~

_I realize that much of the timeline of the show and events before the start of the show is up for debate. I blame the writers of the show. They were certainly consistent in their inconsistencies…._

_In other news…one more part after this, hooray! I feel like I've been working on this forever!_

~.~

Ross looked around his nearly empty apartment, attempting to swallow the lump in his throat. Though Carol had left nearly a year ago, most of her stuff had stayed behind. Now, though, they had less than a month left on the lease for their apartment, and her furniture had slowly started disappearing. He hadn't realized how many of the things in the apartment weren't actually his until now.

Their divorce would be finalized within the month. That thought still killed him, because he still loved her. And the fact that it hadn't ended badly between them left him feeling bitter. Nothing within his control went wrong. He had no control over Carol's sexuality. Something being beyond his control was not something Ross dealt with well.

"That's just about it," Carol shrugged, walking from their bedroom into the living room. "Except the bed and kitchen table."

"You can have both," Ross sighed, leaning back against the couch, the one thing he was keeping.

"You sure?" Carol asked, leaning on the couch beside him. Ross nodded. "I'll have Susan's brother help get those when they're in town at the end of them month, then," she looked around the apartment as well. "We have 'til the first?"

"Yep," Ross again nodded, sighing heavily.

"Come on, Ross," Carol nudged him. "It can't be that bad."

"But it is that bad," Ross shook his head, standing up fully. "I mean, you're the only woman I've ever loved, and here you are," he shrugged, "leaving me for the only woman _you've_ ever loved…."

"Ross," Carol laughed. "Isn't it better this way? I mean, how happy would we be if I'm not being honest with myself?"

"Well, I'd at least be a little happy," Ross grumbled, and Carol took a step towards him, taking his hands in hers.

"You are going to find someone else," she smiled at him. "And it's going to work out so much better. You'll see."

"But I don't want someone else," Ross replied softly, playing with her hands in his. "I want _you_."

"Ross, don't look at me like that," Carol whispered, face falling.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm breaking your heart…."

"Well, hate to break it to you, but you pretty much are," Ross forced a laugh. "I just, I don't understand. I love you so much, and I always thought you loved me, too…."

"I do love you, Ross. I love you very much. Just…not in the same way," Carol squeezed his hands.

"Then why can't that be enough?"

"Ross, we're going in circles here," Carol shook her head. "And we've been going in this same circle for the past year. At least at the end of the month, this will all be officially over and we can just move on."

"Easy for you to say, you have someone to move on with…."

"Ross," Carol touched his face softly, offering a small smile at the tears in his eyes. At that move, Ross leaned in, kissing her gently. To his surprise and relief, she kissed back, at least momentarily. "Ross," she shook her head, pulling back slightly, though her hand was on the back of his neck.

"Please?" Ross pleaded. "Just one more time? Just to, ya know, check and make sure you're not straight?" Carol laughed out loud, shaking her head. "Come on, Carol," he whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Overall, we had a good five years, didn't we? I mean, that's not all in my head, is it?"

"No, it's not in your head," she replied softly, and when he leaned in to kiss her again, she let him….

~.~

"So, when do we get to meet this girl?" Phoebe asked as she sat on the orange couch inside Central Perk. Though the coffee shop was hard to get used to after the bar closed, they were slowly making the transition. Drinking coffee instead of beer in the middle of the day seemed more acceptable now, anyway, since they kept getting inevitably older and farther from college-aged.

"Oh, um, never," Chandler replied, taking a drink of his own coffee.

"Come on, what is so wrong with her that we can't meet her?" Phoebe persisted. "Have you even met her, Joey?"

Joey shook his head. "Nope."

"Come on, what are you afraid of, that we'll scare her away?" Monica chimed in, and Chandler sighed, expecting her to be on his side in this argument. They always managed to scrutinize any guy she would go out with, so he didn't think it would seem such a shock that he was keeping a girl away from them.

"Among other things, yes…."

"Dude, is she a dude?" Joey laughed, and Chandler glared at him.

"No, she is not a dude."

"Can we at least have a name, then?" Phoebe pleaded, and Chandler sighed, giving in.

"Janice. Her name is Janice."

Phoebe pulled out a pen, reaching for the napkin in front of her. "Last name?"

"No," Chandler pulled the pen out of her hand.

"Come on, what kind of girl doesn't have a last name?" Joey laughed.

"Dude, she has a last name, I'm just not telling it to you," Chandler explained.

"Well, if you won't give us her last name, how do we know she even exists?" Phoebe asked.

"Or, that she isn't a dude?" Joey chimed in.

"Oh my god!" Chandler stood up in frustration, heading towards the door.

"Well, that was fun," Phoebe giggled after he left. "He should have a girlfriend more often."

"Hey," Ross walked through the door, much more upbeat than usual. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, motioning to outside, where he just ran into Chandler.

"Oh, he has a girlfriend," Phoebe explained as Ross sat down in the chair.

Ross nodded, accepting that answer. "Women'll do that to you."

"What's with you?" Monica asked, noticing his good mood in contrast with his usual mood.

"Oh, ya know," Ross shrugged. "Just tied up some loose ends…."

~.~

_And that answers the question of the conception of Ben :) Exintaris, I feel like you have little faith in me, because every event you have pointed out that I need to do, I've already had planned ;)_

_One more chapter to go! Reviews, please and thanks!_


	17. August 1994

I'll Be There For You

Chapter 17: August 1994

~.~

_I don't like this chapter. Wrote it months ago and never posted it. But, I don't like having an unfinished fic even more. AND, I came up with an idea for an epilogue for his. I was just going to do a fluffy Mondler one-shot of it (I've been dying to write some Mondler lately but have no ideas…), but then realized it would make a nice epilogue for this fic and figured, hey, might as well wrap this up! And, I think Callison asked me in ten separate reviews for an epilogue. Ask, and you shall receive :)_

~.~

"Hey," Monica greeted Chandler softly as she walked into his apartment, closing the door slowly behind her.

"Hey," Chandler replied, motioning for her to join him on the couch, where he was sitting in pajama pants and a tshirt, watching tv. "What's up?" he asked, wondering why she was over so late when he and Joey had left her apartment less than an hour ago.

"Well," Monica sighed, sitting down beside him as he turned the tv off. "I guess we've established that Rachel's staying with Monica."

"Right," Chandler chuckled. "How does Monica feel about that?"

"I don't know," Monica shrugged. "I mean, I've known her forever, and she was my best friend for so long, but," she sighed, "it's Rachel. She completely let me down in college, and…I wasn't even invited to her wedding! I mean, knowing her family, I'm sure it was a huge, extravagant wedding, and everyone else she has ever known was invited, but, no, not me," Monica shrugged. "I mean, we go back far enough that I'm someone she should invite. I would invite her if I got married! And, I know we've grown apart, and the last time I saw her was, what, a couple of years ago when we ran into her at the bar? But…still," Monica huffed, crossing her arms.

"Mon, come on, you sound like you're in high school," Chandler laughed, receiving a glare in return. "Seriously. You wouldn't have given a second thought to inviting her to your wedding if you were getting married. Hell, when we did run into her, you didn't think you would ever even see her again in your life," he added, and Monica looked down at her hands, which were twisting the blanket she had grabbed from the back of the couch.

"Still," Monica scoffed.

"Okay, you need a roommate, right? I mean, how long has it been since Phoebe moved out? How much longer can you afford your apartment on your own?" Chandler took a different approach.

"Yea, that's taken a nice chunk out of my savings account," Monica nodded. "And by nice chunk, I mean I no longer have a savings account…."

"And, I know you're picky about who you want to live with you, but," Chandler shrugged, "you at least know Rachel, or you did at one point in time."

"I know," Monica nodded. "It's just…she's never even had a job, never paid her own bills. Hell, she probably has never even done her own laundry! She is the epitome of people our age who I hate."

"Yea, but she could have gotten married and just kept living like that. And she chose not to. She just cut up all of her credit cards. Maybe she's trying to change, ya know, grow up."

Monica sighed, looking at the floor. "You need to vacuum, by the way," she mumbled, causing Chandler to laugh.

"No changing the subject."

"Fine," Monica sighed. "I mean, if it were anyone but Rachel, I probably wouldn't be okay with it at all, but," she shrugged, "it's Rachel. I've known her since I was, like, four. How can I not let her stay…."

"So, we've established that Rachel's staying here with Monica?"

"I guess we've established that Rachel's staying here with Monica," Monica conceded with a small smile. "Not forever, but I'll give her a chance," she added, and Chandler laughed. "By the way, Paul?" Monica added as she stood up.

"The wine guy? What an ass."

"Definitely just smashed his watch," she added with a grin before turning to leave.

"That's my girl," Chandler laughed. "'Night, Mon."

"See you in the morning, Chandler," Monica smiled at him one last time before walking out his door, closing it behind her.

~.~

_Final reviews are appreciated! Thanks to those of you who haven't disappeared since this took forever and a day to finish!_


	18. May 2001

I'll Be There For You

Epilogue: May 2001

~.~

_As I said, this was originally going to be a standalone. But, it worked well here, and Callison begged for an epilogue, so I made it into an epilogue for this fic. It's really just some Mondler mush to wrap this all up…because the world is seriously lacking in Mondler mush lately, right? Right._

~.~

"Oh my god, I don't think I can stand a minute longer in these things," Monica groaned, leaning against the hotel room bed to steady herself as she pulled her heels off of her feet from below her wedding dress.

"Well, I sure hope you can stand _without_ them for a few more minutes," Chandler grinned, walking into the room with a bottle of champagne and two glasses, the glasses which he set on the table, before walking over to her, bottle still in hand.

"And why is that, Mr. Bing?" Monica asked, moving closer to him, noting that he was now barefoot in only his dress pants and untucked shirt, having removed his shoes, jacket, vest and tie.

"Well, Mrs. Bing," Chandler started as he uncorked the bottle, and off her look at that, added, "Okay, you already married me, so you have to deal with it."

"If your last name is the worst part of our marriage, I think I'm set," Monica joked, leaning in to kiss him.

"As I was saying," Chandler set the bottle down, kissing her again. "Our wedding and reception are now over, and I still didn't get to dance properly with my wife."

"Your wife," Monica tried out the title, smiling slightly as Chandler walked over to the alarm clock radio beside the bed, turning it on and flipping through stations until he found music.

"My wife," Chandler repeated as he returned to her side, wrapping his arms around her waist. "What was I so freaked out about last night?"

"Got me," Monica sighed, relaxing into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck, swaying slightly to the music.

"Rewind about fifteen years…ever think you'd be here?" Chandler pondered outloud.

"Married to my brother's roommate who called me fat?"

"Married to the girl who chopped my toe off in retaliation," Chandler countered, causing Monica to laugh. "But seriously…it feels like it took us so long to get here…."

"Aw, look at you, being all mushy," Monica reached up, touching his cheek.

Chandler took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it before bringing it to his chest, continuing to sway slightly to the music as he held her hand. "It's my wedding day," he defended himself. "I'm allowed to be mushy."

"I was not complaining," Monica shook her head. "Just saying…."

Chandler just smiled at her for a moment before continuing. "Seriously, though, do you ever think about all of the times in the past, like, moments between us, that if we had just played it out a little differently…."

"We would have ended up together sooner?" Monica finished his thought, and he nodded. She shook her head, though. "I like how our story panned out. It's a good story. Wouldn't change a second of it."

"Really? Even if it meant figuring everything between us out years before London and having that many more years together?"

Monica again shook her head. "I like our relationship. I like what it is. I like what it was. I like having a foundation of such a solid friendship. I wouldn't change a second of the past fifteen years with you."

"Huh," Chandler thought that through. "There was always something here, though, wasn't there?" he asked softer, and Monica smiled at that.

Monica looked at him a moment before speaking. "Right after London, yes, there was a point in time that I went back through our past and analyzed everything. Every cuddle, every look, every offer to be my boyfriend," she looked at him teasingly, and he rolled his eyes slightly. "I mean, how many times did I let you kiss me, even before we were together?"

"Let me kiss you?" Chandler laughed. "That makes it sound like it was all me. I think whatever it is between us has always been a two person game, Mon."

Monica laughed. "You get my point, though," she sighed, leaning her head against his chest as the current song ended, fading into the next song. At the first few cords, she immediately grinned, knowing Chandler was doing the same. As soon as Bon Jovi began singing, she felt Chandler chuckle slightly, the two of them still dancing, barefoot, in the middle of the hotel room. When the song reached the chorus, she grinned even wider, knowing, without a doubt, that he was about to start singing.

"And I'll be there for you. These five words I swear to you. When you breathe, I want to be the air for you. I'll be there for you," he sang softly, lips against her hair, as they continued to move to the music. "I'd live and I'd die for you. Steal the sun from the sky for you. Words can't say what love can do. I'll be there for you..." he trailed off, kissing her hair.

Monica leaned back slightly, grinning as she shook her head. "Wouldn't change a minute…."

Chandler nodded in agreement before leaning in to kiss her. "Me, neither, Mon," he whispered before kissing her again. "Me, neither."

~.~

_Just some post-wedding mush (which we got none of on the actual show) to wrap up the fic. Hope you all enjoyed the ride. Thanks so much for the reviews! Hopefully I'll be able to come up with something Mondler-related to write now that this is over :)_

_Final reviews, please and thanks!_


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